He Who Fights Monsters
by hawker-748
Summary: <html><head></head>Tsukune Aono. An ordinary human in a dangerous place. When your life's on the line, there's nothing that you won't do to survive.</html>
1. Dangerous Ground

Disclaimer: Rosario + Vampire is the property of Akihisa Ikeda and Shonen Jump. I earn no cash, and lawsuits will have to wait in line…

Rosario + Vampire:

He Who Fights Monsters…

Chapter One: Dangerous Ground

Written by: Hawker_748

Tsukune Aono set down his bags and took a look around at his surroundings. "Where the hell is this?" he murmured. He'd had no idea where his parents had gotten the pamphlet for this school from, but it had certainly not mentioned what it was like; the sky was a grey blanket, overcast as far as the eyes could see, despite the fact it had been a bright, sunny day when he'd boarded the bus that had brought him here. Then the driver, (and what was up with his eyes? Tsukune wondered,) had rattled of some facts about him that had his passenger considering how and why he knew them, giving a cryptic warning about the school, the menace blunted by the horrible puns he'd used.

And it hardly even looked like Japan anymore, with the expanse of dead trees looking like the aftermath of a forest fire, the dark grey water of the seashore that was visible over a sheer cliff face combining to complete the desolate and bleak landscape. Assorted skulls were littered over the ground, some of which looked disturbingly human, and the headstones simply enhanced the macabre air.

Tsukune sighed morosely and picked up his bags; this was going to be his new home for the next few years while he went to school. Each step he took towards the creepy looking buildings caused his sense of dread to grow, and he found himself wishing he'd worked harder when he'd studied for his exams. 'If I'd known I'd end up here, I probably would have worked harder,' he noted with grim amusement. 'Nothing to do now but make the best of it.'

Ring Ring!

"Get out of the way!"

If asked about it later, Tsukune would have liked to say he'd narrowly jumped out of the way of the ten-speed that zoomed towards him, gracefully avoiding a collision. But he was never comfortable with lying…

As he tried to protect himself with his hands and move away, his ankle got caught on a dead tree root, causing him to fall over with a yelp, twisting in his tumble and landing face first in the dirt. Wincing in pain and spitting dead grass and dirt from his mouth, Tsukune looked up and saw that the pink haired cyclist hadn't even slowed down, or even looked back to make sure he was okay.

"I'm alright, don't worry about me, you keep going. I'll be okay…" he softly called out to the rapidly disappearing girl, who probably couldn't have heard him without a megaphone at this point. Tsukune let out an aggravated groan, keeping his eyes on the cyclist, hoping she'd lose control of her ride and slam into a tree. He felt guilty about wishing harm upon her, but he was still disappointed that karma didn't balance the scales. He hadn't even reached the school yet, and his classmates, especially the girls, were already ignoring him, if not actually assaulting him. It seemed as if high school was going to pick up right where middle school had left off.

Getting back to his feet, brushing himself off, and attempting to salvage what little was left of his dignity, Tsukune squared his shoulders and resumed his course towards Youkai Academy, certain that things would only be going downhill from here.

XXX

"My name is Shizuka Nekonome, your homeroom teacher," the cheerful brunette introduced herself to the class. Tsukune had given her a few discrete looks, thinking to himself that at least there was some nice eye candy in his class. The teacher was rather cute as well, with her short skirt and bubbly personality brightening his mood a little. While he had no preference for older women, Tsukune had nothing against them either, and at least it meant he wouldn't mind watching her during classes.

"And as you know, Youkai Academy is a school just for monsters."

Wait… What?

"The primary purpose of this school is to teach monsters to blend into the human world," the teacher explained, drawing on the blackboard, and not noticing that one of her students looked like he'd just stepped through the looking glass. "So you are required to stay in human form at all times, going into your monster form is strictly forbidden."

'…What the hell…?' Tsukune asked silently, wondering if this was just some prank they were playing on a new student. That certainly made the most sense. He felt an urge to laugh good naturedly at the humor to break the ice, but a little voice in the back of his head was screaming at him to keep his mouth shut, and Tsukune decided to listen to it for now.

"Even though humans are strictly forbidden here, and none have ever been to Youkai Academy and lived to tell about it," the teacher cheerfully concluded.

This was certainly an interesting way to start the year, Tsukune decided. He'd seen all sorts of things that different teachers used to lighten the mood before, but this one took the cake. Tsukune glanced around him, looking at the faces of his classmates, expecting to see humor in their eyes, and with a little nervousness hoping he was the only one not in on the joke, but the serious expressions they wore made him pause. 'S-she wasn't kidding,' he realized with growing unease. 'I'm a human in a monster school!' It seemed absurd, completely off the wall, no way it could be real. This was simply an elaborate prank on the student who'd gotten his acceptance just days before. But a nagging feeling in his gut kept him from giving voice to his beliefs; as crazy as it would seem, something about what he'd seen and heard so far made him willing to accept it as fact.

"Why do we have live with humans?" a brash new voice cut into Tsukune's musings. "We should just kill them, except for the pretty girls, we can molest them."

Even if he'd been 100% human, the new speaker would have been instantly tagged a thug by anyone who saw him. Considering what it might possibly under that brutish exterior only made him worse by several orders of magnitude. If he was a monster, the classmate seemed to have chosen a form designed to utilize as many delinquent stereotypes as he could; dyed hair, a surly, smug expression, sheer physical size, and an assortment of piercings that would have raised the blood pressure of any self-respecting principal. His appearance, combined with his apparent contempt for humanity, made Tsukune vow to do whatever he needed to do to avoid antagonizing him, or even drawing his attention.

"Excuse me! I'm sorry I'm late!"

The latest interruption to Tsukune's frantic attempts to control himself, (dogs could sense fear, and he suspected monsters could as well) made him look up, and he couldn't keep his eyes from widening. While the girl was cute by anyone's standards, it was the pink hair that drew his gaze. "That's the bimbo that nearly ran me over!" he wanted to shout out, but remembering just what the situation was made him bite his tongue. The girl's eyes met his for a second without a flicker of recognition, and Tsukune felt himself scowl at the realization that she couldn't even recall the innocent pedestrian she'd almost smoked.

He could hear the comments some of the guys made as she went to the desk she'd been assigned, but as far as Tsukune was concerned, she was off limits. That went for any of the girls as well; some of them looked gorgeous, but the saying 'beauty is only skin deep' was quite literal here. Who knew what their monster forms might be? Tsukune had held out hope that he'd find a girlfriend at the new school, but he disavowed any notion of that now. He supposed it had been a desperate hope anyways. What were the chances that even one girl would have shown any interest in him?

XXX

Tsukune trudged through the hall of the dormitory, looking for his room. After homeroom, his day had been a constant battle to keep from descending into utter madness. The last, desperate hope that the whole monster thing was just a joke died a violent death when he'd seen a few students in the hallways between class either sprout wings, grow claws, or transform into something out of a madman's nightmare. He'd managed to crush down any display of terror, telling himself that his life depended on it.

Tsukune had experienced an immediate urge to bolt for the exit, attempting to break the land speed record while running for the tunnel that had brought him here. But he found himself hesitating; if he made a run for it, chances were someone would come after him, and he suspected that many of his classmates could outrun a cheetah.

And even if he did manage a lucky break and escape successfully, what then? His parents would never believe that they'd sent him to a school for monsters, they'd just think he'd let them down, again. They'd made such a show of being happy that he'd been accepted to a high school, that abandoning it wouldn't be accepted by them, even with a believable reason, never mind something off the wall like having Frankenstein as a classmate. The teacher had even said that everyone had to stay in human form, so maybe he could bluff his way through this, at least until he was able to transfer somewhere safer. Staying here would be a risk, but waiting for a transfer to be approved would be the best decision, keeping him alive, and his parents happy. Perhaps a nice quiet school in Afghanistan would let him transfer in…

Lunch had been even more surreal, with half the food in the cafeteria appearing for all the world like normal, everyday human food, and the other half… not so much. Tsukune had stuck with things he recognized, and made an effort to NOT consider the possibility that the human looking food was only a disguise as well. After taking an empty table and gulping it down to reduce the risk of discovering a deception by taste, he left the cafeteria and headed for the first afternoon class.

By the second class after lunch, Tsukune was mildly surprised to realize that he had settled down enough to actually pay some sort of attention to his Geography class, astonishing himself by recalling the names of several European capitals when the teacher asked him. But even as he rattled off the names of the cities, he kept flicking his eyes around, looking for any hint of a threat. And giving the answers had required him to swallow a few times to keep his voice from cracking as his mouth was as dry as dust. After class had ended for the day, Tsukune had made his way to the library, needing more information on his possible classmates. The cryptozoology texts had been impossible to locate, and he was about to ask a librarian for help when he got a sudden hunch. He nearly broke out in delirious giggles after he finally found them in the non-fiction, reference books.

Tsukune took a quick look around, saw he was alone, and slipped three of them onto his school bag. Walking through the library stack, grabbing a few books at random, he made his way to a study carrel in an empty corner, setting all the books on the desktop, opening one to any page. After making sure that there were no witnesses, Tsukune took the books from his bag and carefully peeled out the magnetic anti-theft strips. He'd always considered himself scrupulously honest, but considering that his life was on the line, swiping a few books seemed like a small price to pay for his survival.

He checked out another book legitimately to salve his conscious a little about the three reference books concealed in his bag, the weight of the tomes a bit heavier than Tsukune had expected. As he stood in front of his dorm room, he found himself considering what he would do if he had a roommate to worry about, and hoping the dynamic would be more like a dormitory than a prison. When he opened the door and saw only one bed and desk Tsukune almost collapsed with relief, walking inside and locking the door behind him. After a few seconds thought, he pushed the desk in front of it, forming a makeshift barricade. If he could move the desk that easily he had no illusions about it keeping a determined monster out, but maybe it would buy him a second or two to go out the window. He was four floors up, and there was no fire escape, but it was still his best choice. On the other hand, if he broke his leg while trying to flee… Tsukune tried not to think about that too much.

Flipping on all the lights, Tsukune opened the closet and looked carefully within, then scoping out under the bed, both places he was sure had hidden monsters when he was a boy. Finding nothing, he searched every drawer and nook and cranny until he was satisfied that he was truly alone in his room. Collapsing onto the bed, Tsukune began shaking, the pent up fears and worries finally catching up to him, nearly bringing him to tears. After allowing himself a couple of minutes of cathartic release, he willed himself back in control and tried to clear his head, needing to get his focus back if he had any hope of pulling off his deception. He reached into his bag to retrieve the books he'd pilfered to try to become familiar with his new surroundings, when his fingertips brushed against cold metal.

Tsukune pursed his lips. The books from the library hadn't been his first theft, if he really wanted to split hairs. Closing his fingers around the metal, Tsukune pulled it from his bag, seeing his reflection in the stainless steel finish. As far as blades went, it was pretty pathetic, and he'd almost ignored the impulse to slip the simple table knife into the cuff of his jacket, and then into his bag. It had a rounded point, and only the barest trace of a sharp edge, just a stereotypical cafeteria knife. If he was ever attacked by a monster slice of toast, he'd probably be able to butter it into submission. It was more likely that the monster that ate him would use it to pick pieces of Tsukune from between its teeth.

Still, it was fractionally better than nothing, and while Tsukune had no intention of ever getting into a conflict with a classmate, he wasn't certain he could avoid it, and without some sort of weapon his odds of survival were somewhere between zero and not much. It had been this thinking which made him make an additional stop on the way to his room, using some of his credit at the school store to pick up a couple of things. He'd been surprised to see so many normal toiletries and sundries for normal humans, and it made him suppose that monsters had the same troubles grooming their human forms as humans did.

He took out one of the three cans of hairspray he'd purchased, using his thumb to flick off the cap, making sure that the nozzle was turned away from him as he withdrew one of the cheap lighters he'd also bought. He thumbed the flints and fired it up with his left hand, using his right index finger to trigger the hair care product.

Frooooooosh!

The flame was larger than he'd expected, a three foot gout of fire that brightened his room with a satisfying roar and a rush of heat. It probably wouldn't be all that practical in a full on melee, but it might give a monster some pause. The blast for fire lifted his spirits a little, and he reminded himself that most creatures retreated from fire. Tsukune wasn't sure where monsters fit on the evolutionary picture, but he found himself hoping they were closer to beasts than men. He set the lighter and the aerosol can onto his night table, the faint, lingering odour of smoke familiar to him, allowing some hope to rise in him. He was still in the same mess he'd been in five minutes ago, but at least he had a makeshift flamethrower as a security blanket now.

Tsukune shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it onto the chair bracing against the desk, pulling off his tie and undoing his shirt. He was a little taken aback to discover it was damp with perspiration, and he wrinkled his nose as the scent registered with him 'Do I smell like a human?' he wondered, his mind forcing yet another disquieting prospect into the forefront. He hadn't noticed that any of his classmates smelled different, but what if they had more developed senses than he did? For all he knew his normal odour might be the equivalent of Death by Chocolate to a monster, all but ringing the dinner bell.

After a few frantic seconds of consideration, Tsukune decided there wasn't much he could do about it, so he would be better off not thinking about it too much. However, he figured that before he reached the classroom in the morning, he'd rub his jacket into the dirt, to try to mask the potentially human smell. Stripping down to his skivvies, Tsukune splashed water against his face and brushed his teeth, idly curious if his next door neighbors were doing the same, or if they'd hang from the ceiling, or sleep in a coffin. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, and forcing his appearance to harden up a little, he slipped into bed. He reached for his light switch, before retracting his hand and leaving the lights on.

Tsukune couldn't remember the last time he's needed a night light, nevermind all the lights blazing, but he'd never been in a situation like this before. Setting his alarm to get up early to start reviewing the monster encyclopedia before going to class, Tsukune closed his eyes and let his head hit the pillow. He stifled a laugh when his thinking went off on a tangent if his neighbors checked under their beds looking for humans hiding under them, and tried to fall asleep. But every little creak or groan the old building made nearly had Tsukune hitting the ceiling, and it was well after midnight before he fell into a fitful, unsatisfying sleep.

XXX

Trudging down the path and struggling to suppress another yawn, Tsukune felt far less human than he really was. Morning had come a lot earlier than he'd liked, but he'd forced himself to hit the stolen books, at first stunned, then awed, then terrified of the vast listings of different monsters that were described on its pages. He'd flipped through the smallest one, not really reading, just getting a feel for all the possible types that were out there. Before he'd had a chance to read about any of them in more detail, it was time to get cleaned up and eat, and he had a quick shower to rinse away the sweat from the frightening images that had haunted his dreams.

Frowning at his bloodshot eyes and making sure his tie was just so, Tsukune made his way to the cafeteria, grabbed a coffee and a few donuts and made his way towards classes, the brief rush from the caffeine fading disappointingly fast. 'Way I feel now, if anyone asks, I'll say I'm a zombie,' he told himself. 'The way I look, they'll buy it…' A yawn did force its way past his lips as a couple of students zipped past him; supposedly, it was forbidden to appear as a monster while attending Youkai Academy, but it seemed as if the rule wasn't strictly enforced. Tsukune had seen a few displays in the halls yesterday, and he wasn't that surprised anymore by the various species he'd encountered.

'Lizard men,' he noted in passing as the aforementioned students rushed towards class. 'Gotta be warm blooded,' his mind decided. 'They couldn't be this active this morning otherwise.' It was another drab, overcast day, but Tsukune suspected that the weather would be constantly like this. A place like Youkai Academy just called out for gloomy weather, the better to match the atmosphere it radiated; constant thunder and lightning would have been perfect for it. Trying not to seem out of place, Tsukune picked up the pace a little, telling his brain that it needed to go on full alert. A human attending a class at Youkai Academy was like a cow paying a visit to a steakhouse, and if he wasn't careful, he'd end up as someone's lunch.

Feeling disproportionate relief that he'd made it safely to his homeroom class, Tsukune took his seat and retrieved his notebook from his bag, his fingers brushing against the aerosol can of hairspray and his table knife, stroking them briefly like they were talisman. Leaving the makeshift weapons in the satchel, the presence of the cigarette lighter a comforting bump in his inside pocket, he opened his book and pretended to look through it, in actuality listening to the chatter of his classmates.

Tsukune was honestly surprised at the mundane nature of the conversations. He heard the students talking about their classes, the teachers, which girls were the hottest, and how that scrawny looking dude over there smelled really tasty, almost like a real huma- 'Oh shit…' Tsukune nearly went pale. He'd been so groggy that morning he'd forgotten to rub his jacket into the dirt to try to disguise his scent, and now someone had taken notice of him. Struggling to keep his composure, and casually looking around and wondering who'd said he'd make a nice, light snack, Tsukune almost sighed with relief when the teacher walked in. With class starting, it was likely that he was safe for a little while anyway, it was unlikely (he hoped) that someone would stroll over and take a sample bite.

As he tried to pay attention to the lecture, Tsukune kept reminding himself that he couldn't afford to make any slip ups here, that his life was quite literally riding on how well he could fit in here. 'No mistakes,' he admonished himself, attempting to return his attention to the vaguely feline looking teacher. 'No mistakes ever!' Even as he felt his stomach tightening up with stress, Tsukune let the tension ease from his shoulders, trying to look like everyone else in his class. 'Keep it cool,' he reminded himself. 'You get stressed too much, you'll die from a heart attack before you get eaten…'

XXX

Tsukune took in short breaths, biting his pillow to silence his cries of pain. The sharp, stabbing pains each breath caused seemed to indicate a cracked rib or two, or at least that's what the first aid text he'd liberated from the library seemed to indicate. Aside from the textbook he'd bought as many medical supplies as he could from the school store without appearing suspicious. Despite being in unspeakable agony, Tsukune had dug deep and slammed the door on the pain, not letting anyone see how much he was hurting, despite wanting to shriek with each tortured breath, nearly blacking out from the sensory overload.

'All I was doing was leaving class!' he raged silently. 'I've never had to face students throwing each other across the hall in a fight…' Tsukune had packed his things into his bag after the end of classes that day and casually slipped out, only to be greeted by the unbelievable sight of some vaguely human looking thing hurtling through the air towards him. Fortunately he hadn't been directly in the flight path, otherwise he'd have probably been killed right then and there. As it was, one of the monster's limbs slammed against his chest, violently smashing him against the wall, nearly knocking him unconscious. The monster that'd been thrown across the hallway must have been badly cut in this fight, for a strange bluish black ichor spattered all over Tsukune, covering his face and soaking his jacket.

Tsukune would later express astonishment that he hadn't lost his mind right there.

And secretly wonder if maybe he had...

Using the uproar of the fight to slip away unnoticed, Tsukune ducked into a washroom, splashed water on his face until he no longer looked like as extra in a monster movie, and gritting his teeth at the pain that the simple act of breathing caused, then made his way to the library for a medical textbook. That had been over an hour ago, and he was still wracked with pain; he hadn't realized it at the time, but the blow had left a cut across his chest, not very deep, but the thought of what could have happened gave Tsukune a chill. His shirt was ruined, his tie having somehow escaped unscathed, but his jacket still had dried blood all over it. The dark color his it from view, but even with multiple rinses he couldn't get the lingering stench out of it.

"Won't have to worry about smelling human anymore," he told himself with a grim chuckle, coughing when that made his ribs throb. Using the first aid book as a guide, Tsukune had washed his wounds, closed off the cut with butterfly bandages, and used a long bandage to wrap up his chest, causing the pain to fade to somewhat manageable levels. A couple dry swallowed Tylenol helped even more, but moving without looking hurt was going to be difficult for the next little while. In the mirror Tsukune had noticed that he had an ugly dark bruise over most of his upper back, and while he'd used ice from the small fridge in his room, it would still be obvious to anyone who cared to take a look.

'Use make-up to hide them?' he'd wondered as he adjusted the wrapping a little, gaining just a little more relief. 'Why the hell am I still here?' he asked himself for the umpteenth time. The logical move was to leave, right now, just drop everything and run, but he knew it wouldn't be that simple. His parents would be disappointed in him if he left, regardless of the reason. The prospect of losing an entire year of schooling was also disturbing to him, even though being here put his life at risk. And on a more practical level, it was getting dark, and since he knew that most monsters supposedly only came out at night, a nice lonely stroll in the dark wasn't that appealing.

Resigned to the notion that he'd be here for at least one more day, Tsukune got into bed and picked up one of the monster encyclopedias, flipping to the first entry, 'Abominable Snowman,' and began to read up on his classmates. He'd reached as far as 'Bigfoot' before he finally fell asleep, his slumber disturbed once again by horrific images.

XXX

"Rise. Bow. Dismissed."

The next day's classes came to an end and Tsukune had to keep himself from slumping with relief. His injured ribs had been a dull ache all day, but he'd sucked it in and gotten through it with willpower and painkillers. He wasn't in as much pain as the night before and he liked to think that it was a sign that he was healing up, and he hoped he'd be able to get rid of the wraps soon enough. Taking his time loading up his bag, deciding to wait until everyone else was gone before leaving, which he hoped gave him a better chance avoiding a fight, Tsukune stayed in his desk until the last stragglers headed for the door. Getting to his feet he followed his classmates, planning on going to his room and studying until dinner, go eat, then bone up on his stolen monster encyclopedias.

"Excuse me, Aono-san…"

Tsukune froze, swallowing once before turning to face his teacher. "Yes Nekonome-sensei?"

"I need some boxes carried to the staffroom," the cheerful feline looking instructor explained. "Would you mind giving me a hand?"

He almost turned her down; his injuries made carrying even his school bag a discomfort, and a heavier load would be worse. But he couldn't think up a reasonable excuse that would require admitting he was hurt, and doing that might be worse than a little more pain. And when he considered it, being close to a teacher might keep him from getting involved in any disturbances. "Sure, I'll do it." Besides. A trip to the nurse would spell instant, probably messy, discovery.

Ms. Nekonome gave him a contented smile. "Thank you so much, I just had my nails done, I don't want to chip them."

"…no problem…" Tsukune replied.

If Ms. Nekonome noticed how strained his smile was, she didn't let on. "It's those three over there. Just follow me."

Keeping a few choice comments to himself, Tsukune lifted the load, wincing while his back was to her, before putting on a brave front and following the lively woman out the door. As they made their way down the hall, Ms. Nekonome fell in step next to her student. "So, Aono-san," she started. "What do you think of Youkai Academy?"

"Never been to a place like this before," he murmured with complete honesty.

"Why'd you decide to come here?"

"Parents decided for me."

Ms. Nekonome made a sound that was oddly close to a meow. Tsukune took a brief look at her, noticing that she was dividing her attention between him and their surroundings. For a second he had a brief impulse to scratch the top of her head between the tufts that looked a lot like cat ears, but he decided against it. He was worried that she'd get angry at him for that, but even more worried that she wouldn't. 'I wonder if she purrs…'

Shaking his head, and making sure she didn't try rubbing against his legs when they went down the stairs, Tsukune followed her into the staff room. He struggled to open the storage room while his teacher batted at a moth that fluttered by, placed the boxes on the shelf and relaxed briefly. While trying to catch his breath, a small object caught his eye; a whetstone for sharpening scissors was peeking out from behind some dusty office supplies. A quick glance made sure his teacher was still distracted, and Tsukune slipped in into his jacket pocket. The way things were going, by the time the school year was over, he'd have stolen everything that wasn't nailed down.

"Thanks again," his teacher told him when he closed the storage room door.

"My pleasure," Tsukune replied with false sincerity, thinking only of the bottle of Tylenol in his room. Forcing himself to walk normally through the now empty hallways, he made his way back to the dormitories, ignoring a pair of fights he passed on the way, save for taking a second to try to identify the species of combatant, vowing to study longer when he came up blank on all of them. Finally reaching his room, locking the door and barricading it, Tsukune finally let his mask of composure slip. "Son of a bitch!" he hissed, clutching at his chest.

He opened his shirt and looked in the mirror, scowling when he saw that the gashes he'd closed were seeping a little, small crimson spots on the white gauze. Tsukune opened the pill bottle and dry swallowed two of them, the gritty bitterness hardly even registering with him anymore. Peeling off the bandages, he dabbed the weeping wounds with alcohol soaked cotton balls, gritting his teeth and suppressing the pain. Once he'd cleaned the cuts again, he added new dressings to cover them, re-buttoned his shirt and left for the cafeteria and an early supper.

Tsukune spent the rest of the evening locked in his room, his eyes tracing over the images of various monsters and their characteristics, slowly running his dinner knife over the whetstone. The silence of the dorm room was broken only by the occasional rustle of paper, and the faint 'shick' of metal grinding against stone.

XXX

The normally crowded hallways of Youkai Academy were even more difficult to navigate today, what with all the display tables set up by the student clubs looking to attract new members. Tsukune's homeroom teacher had asked for people to join the newspaper club she was the head of, and he was considering it, but he wanted to see what else was available first. He was once again struck by just how mundane the majority of clubs were, most of them familiar sounding from the schools Tsukune had attended before. Yes, this school was designed to make it easier for monsters to fit into the human world, but he'd still expected things to more, well, monstrous.

Tsukune would have preferred just sticking with the 'going home' club, but membership was mandatory, and he didn't want to raise any suspicions by not joining one. The newspaper club seemed like a safe bet, with little prospect of physical threats, but it would also mean dealing with his fellow students, and that might not be the best idea. The bikini clad members of the swimming club had caught his eye, and he'd briefly considered that, but then he'd used his primary head to do some reconsidering, and decided that it wasn't worth the chance of being eaten alive.

As Tsukune walked down the hallway he looked over the display tables, deciding whether or not the club was worth considering joining.

Light Music club?

Maybe.

Biology club?

Perhaps…

Baseball club?

No.

Unarmed fighting club?

No.

Vivisection club?

HELL, no.

Human hunting club?

No. With extreme prejudice…

There was a banner over a doorway that announced the 'Tea ceremony Club.' Genuinely curious, Tsukune made his way over, opened the door and took a look inside. He was just able to keep in a scream of horror as he felt the blood drain from his face. With a shaking hand he slid the door shut, trying hard to clear away the memory of what he had beheld.

He absently wiped cold sweat from his brow and trudged down the hall, trying to console himself with the idea of becoming a reporter when a small table in a corner caught his eye. "Cross Country club…?" Tsukune had never heard that term before, and the student behind the table seemed almost timid. He approached the table and tried to figure out the best way to ask.

"Hi there, thinking of joining our club?" the guy behind the table asked with a warm smile.

"I dunno, what's a cross country club?" Tsukune replied.

"Basically, we're a running club."

"You mean track and field?"

The young man shook his head. "Not exactly. We don't run on tracks, we run cross country," he explained. "I'm Ichiro. Ichiro Suzuki."

"Tsukune Aono."

"Pleased to meet you Tsukune. We run longer distances, not marathons, but five, ten miles over fields, through woods, that kind of thing."

"That seems… ordinary," Tsukune admitted.

"It's rather liberating," Ichiro countered. "You're out on your own, no worries, no real crowds, the isolation is relaxing."

"I've never been much of a runner," confessed Tsukune.

"Neither was I, but now I love it," Ichiro enthused. "It kills stress, it's good for you, and if you ever need to get away from trouble, it's good to have."

Tsukune chewed his lower lip; he had few illusions about being able to compete with a monster in physical challenges, but it might be good to get in better shape. "I don't have a lot of experience, or equipment."

"Oh, you'll throw up at first, but you'll learn to love running later," he insisted. "And all you needs is shorts and sneakers."

Tsukune mulled it over. It might not be his first choice, but being able to run further and faster was useful.

Ichiro must have seen the spark of interest in his eyes. "We're having a run tomorrow after class. If it's not for you, fell free to walk away."

"Deal." Tsukune extended his hand and they shook on it, the human trying not to wince at the monster's grip. "When and where?"

"Five o'clock, at the athletic shed behind the school."

"See you then."

"Welcome to the cross country club."

Tsukune walked away, heading for the relative safety of his room. Ichiro seemed nice enough, but Tsukune decided to keep his guard up. If Ichiro had suspected his newest members true nature, he doubted he would have been welcomed with open arms. Still. It was nice to talk with someone approximately his own age. Once he was ensconced in his room, Tsukune found himself wondering what Ichiro was, as he resumed his study of monsters with Dijini, promising himself to finish up to the F's that night, constantly sharpening his knife.

End of Chapter One

Author's Notes:

I have a destination in mind, and a route planned…

Pre-read by Random1377 and Mereo Flere


	2. Trial by Fire

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Rosario + Vampire:

He Who Fights Monsters…

Chapter Two: Trial by Fire

Written by: Hawker_748

Tsukune made his way over to the equipment shed behind the school, adjusting his stride a little when his gym shorts rode up on him and wishing he was confident enough to simply adjust them. He recognized Ichiro, but there were several other young men and women that he didn't remember seeing in his classes. The gathering looked friendly enough, and Tsukune returned Ichiro's wave, but he kept his guard up; the smaller gym uniform and lack of a bag made it impossible to bring along any of his makeshift weapons, something he hadn't considered. He decided to rig up a scabbard for his dinner knife, but he hadn't had time to get one ready, and rather than skip the run and draw attention, Tsukune reluctantly attended unarmed, sincerely hoping it didn't cost him his life.

"Welcome to the first meeting if the cross country club," Ichiro told everyone after a few more stragglers arrived. "It'll be a short run today, just five miles." Someone gave an exaggerated groan, making everyone chuckle. "The course is through the forest, marked out, and ends over there." He gestured to a sign marked 'Finish'. "This is just for fun, so don't kill yourself trying to win."

"Do we get anything if we win?" a girl next to Tsukune asked.

"Satisfaction," Ichiro deadpanned. "Take ten minutes to stretch and loosen up, then we run."

Tsukune located an empty spot and began to stretch, giving his fellow club members an once-over. They all looked normal enough, but that didn't mean a thing based on what he'd seen so far. Placing his right foot's toes to the ground, he rotated it to loosen up his ankle, giving the woods a careful look as he repeated the action with his left ankle. The trees were bare, and a forbidding, dangerous air hung over them; if someone had been commissioned them with the intention of making them appear threatening, they couldn't have done much better. The fact that it was still light out, and there were no howls or snarls emanating from the woods were the only consolation.

Quitting right now and seeing if the light music club needed a tambourine player was starting to sound like a good idea, but Tsukune knew he needed to get himself into shape if he had any hope of surviving. As long as he spent as little time in the woods as possible and kept moving (stationary targets were always easier to pick off) he should be okay If it turned out there was something threatening prowling in the forest. Tsukune decided to stay close to a group, and hope that he was faster than at least one of its members.

He didn't need to be able to outrun all monsters; he just needed to be able to outrun ONE of them.

Stretching his legs, definitely not wanting to pull up lame in the middle of the course, Tsukune tried to narrow his focus to the other club members, seeing if any of them were displaying any signs of hostility. They all looked like the care-free high school students they were pretending to be, but that might not mean a thing. As far as he knew, they might have worn the same expressions while ripping out his intestines with their teeth as they would asking about the time. When Ichiro gestured for everyone to get ready, the warm up seeming to pass in the blink of an eye, Tsukune got back to his feet, noticing that his heart was already racing, 'Least I won't have to worry about getting my pulse up,' he mused with a ghost of a smile.

"Ready?" Ichiro called out, getting into position. "Get set… Go!"

The start reminded Tsukune of a marathon, a slow collective jog, with no one sprinting off into the lead. That made sense to him, sprinting now would only make someone tired, and there were still five miles to go. Keeping his stride loose and easy, he let himself get carried away by the pack, not taking the lead, but not bringing up the rear either. As they cleared the first hundred yards and reached the edge of the tree line, Tsukune experienced a swell of second thoughts, but he suppressed them with effort, continuing along the path, yellow flagged stakes acting as course markers.

The run continued steadily, the sounds of footfalls and breathing almost being lost in the stillness of the forest. The runners began to spread out, Ichiro taking the lead, with some of the smaller students beginning to fall behind. Tsukune fell into pace alongside a guy with shaggy brown hair, who seemed to be as unused to running as he was, reasoning that he needed to put someone between him and some feral beast, and this guy seemed like a good candidate. If he heard any commotion behind him, Tsukune was going to just sprint ahead, not even bothering to look back, and hope that whatever the threat was, it wasn't interested in a second course.

Trying to keep from noticing the slight ache that was forming in his legs, and the way his throat was starting to hurt, Tsukune took a few moments to observe his surroundings. It was darker than he'd expected it would be, not like after sunset, but it was as if dusk had come early. The sounds of footsteps appeared to be absorbed by the dead trees, like they had once absorbed sunlight, casting an eerie silence over the forest like a blanket. They fed the silence much like sunlight would have once fed the leaves. There were headstones scattered here and there, with a few skulls for good measure, and Tsukune wondered if he was running over the bodies of previous humans who'd come to Youkai Academy.

Tsukune had already run further than he ever had in his life previously, and there was still no sign of the finish line. He was pretty sure he hadn't even passed the halfway point, and under other circumstances, or even at any other school, he would have simply slowed to a walk, trying to get his second wind. But Tsukune kept up the pace, pushing himself through the pain in his legs and his ribs, forcing his body far past its former limits. He was terrified that faltering this early, or even letting up a little, would be seen as a sign of weakness, and be like throwing a steak into a pool of hungry piranha. It was one thing for a borderline sadist gym teacher to yell at you if you slowed down; the prospect of being eaten alive was a much better motivator to force yourself forward. He wasn't even sure if it would be dangerous to ease off, but he had no intention of finding out the truth the hard way.

Tsukune's form was starting to falter, his strides becoming less sure, as his body threw away any notion of form for the sake of endurance. He was starting to rasp, his throat raw as he gasped for breath, his muscles demanding more oxygen than his lungs could deliver. Glancing up, he was surprised to realize that he could still see Ichiro ahead of him on the path. Tsukune wasn't sure if he own pace had picked up, or if the club president's had fallen off. A look to the left revealed that the club member he'd selected as a decoy seemed more exhausted than Tsukune felt, and was slowly fading back. He tried to tell himself to ease off, keep close to his 'human' shield, but Tsukune couldn't bring himself to slow down, even if it left him more exposed.

Waves of pain hammered their way up Tsukune's legs as his feet pounded along the path, his heartbeat audible in his ears, beads of sweat rolling down his face. He was panting heavily, his chest starting to burn from his exertions, but Tsukune clenched his fists in determination, vowing he'd drop dead from exhaustion before he'd let himself show any weakness. A not too distant howl from behind him just hardened his resolve even more and he dug deeper, finding reserves he didn't know he had. Tsukune pushed himself harder than he ever had before, refusing to accept his old limits, believing that his life depended on it.

Slowly, gradually, Tsukune crept up alongside Ichiro, wondering if he was simply conserving himself before making a final sprint at the finish. When they were side by side, Ichiro looked over at the new member, giving him a respectful nod. "Nice work…"

Managing a nod, not able to spare the oxygen to reply, Tsukune struggled to keep going, feeling an almost orgasmic relief when he saw the finish line ahead of him. It couldn't have been more than forty minutes, but he felt like he'd been running for a week. 'Just a little more…' he told himself. He almost didn't hear the approaching footsteps behind him, mistaking them for his heartbeat, but something about the rhythm made him glance over his shoulder. Tsukune hadn't been able to spare a breath to reply to Ichiro, and he certainly didn't have enough to scream. He wasn't exactly sure what was charging towards him, he hadn't bothered giving them a long look, but he'd seen fur, scales, claws, and teeth, especially teeth. They were all long, pointy, sharp, covered in saliva, and getting closer. Tsukune had thought he'd given everything that he could, be he found reserves he'd never tapped before, breaking into a dead run, moving like it was a hundred yard dash.

Tsukune's stomach lurched, and he felt everything he'd eaten come surging up his throat, the bile rising fast. Without slowing down even a hint, he turned his head to the side and vomited, the rancid fluid spewing through the air. Some of it splashing on his clothes, the dry heaving after his stomach was empty sending new agony through his body. Spitting to clear his mouth and airway, not wasting the time to wipe his face, Tsukune kept running, the sounds of rapid footfalls and wet snarls pushing him onwards.

Racing out of the forest, the welcome openness of the clearing no longer a sanctuary, Tsukune could see what looked like a werewolf over to his left, a pair of lizard men on his right, all of them getting closer. He was less than fifty feet from the finish line, but Tsukune frantically kept going, knowing he was doomed, his body mere seconds from shutting down, but he kept struggling to survive, not willing to lose even a seconds worth of life. With one last spurt he accelerated through the tape and stumbled, too exhausted to catch himself, crashing forward in an uncontrolled tumble, his taped ribs screaming in protest, ending up on his back, staring up at the overcast sky in a haze of pain.

As he gasped, desperately trying to catch his breath, struggling to keep conscious, his heart thundering in his ears, Tsukune saw a ring of monsters form above him, staring down as he suffered. He decided not to beg for his life, deciding to show some bravery in the face of death, demonstrate that humans weren't complete cowards. He looked up at his executioners, wondering who would be first, and silently sending off both apologies and curses to his parents for sending him to this fate. Tsukune hoped with all his heart that they would at least be decent enough to grant him a quick death.

Then something unexpected happened. The monster he'd guessed to be a werewolf gave a rather canine grin and spoke in Ichiro's voice "Nice going Tsukune!"

It took the exhausted human a few seconds to spare enough air to reply. "P-pardon?" he croaked out.

"You stayed in human form," Ichiro explained, his form shifting back into the timid looking upperclassman Tsukune had first met. "You're the first club member to do the initiation run and not cheat." He extended his hand and waited expectantly for the exhausted human to take hold of it.

Tsukune's breathing was still frantic, his throat raw, his muscles screaming in agony as he accepted the outstretched hand, nearly crying out when Ichiro almost dislocated his shoulder helping him to his feet. As his head spun from the surprising turn of events and oxygen deprivation, Tsukune found himself wondering how the werewolf's clothes had reappeared without damage. Giving everyone else a quick once over as he bent at the waist, the pain only just starting to fade, he noticed that everyone else had returned to human form, their clothes unripped, despite the fact they'd all been much larger, and in one case, not even bipedal "We-we're supposed to stay in human form," he forced out.

"Yeah, but not everyone does that while running in the woods," Ichiro replied. "I admire your commitment," he added with a grin, giving Tsukune a good natured slap on the back.

Tsukune had to bite down a scream as the friendly gesture gave his healing ribs an unwanted reminder that they were still knitting. "I'm a stickler for rules," He rasped out, his face a rictus of a smile, greatly relieved he was sweating enough that his tears wouldn't show.

"Great run," Ichiro complimented him, "especially for a rookie." The werewolf waited until the last club members crossed the finish line, each of them returning to human form, looking tired, but nowhere as bad as Tsukune did. "Nice work, all of you, but next time, everyone stays human, right?" A few grumbles were returned to the club leaders' exhortation. "Anyone who uses monster form the next run has to do it over." Even more grumbles replied to that.

"What for?" a brunette with long, slender legs called out.

"Rules are rules," Ichiro explained. "Our next run is in two days." He dismissed everyone and the club members started making their way back to their dorms, or grouping up to talk.

Tsukune watched the group slowly dissipate, astonished by his good fortune, and feeling almost giddy about what he'd done. He'd beat a group of monsters; he'd managed to outrun a pack of them, and lived to tell the tale. He might have started laughing, possible without being able to stop, but he was in so much pain he probably would have just ended up screaming. Through his haze of exhaustion, Tsukune recognized a classmate of his from homeroom, a guy in the back of the class. The scathing, contemptful glare that was shot his way made the human cringe inwardly. Pushing that aside for now, and willing himself back into motion, Tsukune began the long, slow trip back to the dormitory, hoping he wouldn't drop dead from fatigue before he got there.

The distance hadn't seemed this far on the trip out, and Tsukune wondered if some kind of magic was making the building get further away with every step. As he shambled his way back, Tsukune noted that whenever people passed him, they gave him an odd look. He knew he must have looked like hell, and he was covered in vomit and dirt, looking far less human than his non-human classmates. His legs were getting stiff and he knew he'd have to soak most of the night in a hot bath or he'd be rigid enough tomorrow morning to be used as a pry bar.

But even as he worked to get his wind back, push himself through the pain again, he felt a heady rush, a sense of almost bliss and satisfaction wash over him. Tsukune knew part of this was simply his body producing endorphins to suppress the agony, but part of it was a sense of pride. He'd done it, he'd survived. Yes, he was still in horrifying circumstances, and as exhausted as he was, he couldn't have fought off a new born kitten, and being here was just to the right of suicidal. But this was the first thing he could feel good about since he'd arrived. As he finally reached his room, locked and barricaded the door behind him, stripped off his sweaty, filthy, and stinking clothes, and practically crawled to the bathroom, he still wore a hint of a smile.

XXX

Tsukune took a sip of water, using it to wash down two more Tylenol and frowning as he considered just how many he was taking. The morning after his first run had been the closest thing to living hell he'd ever experienced, and he'd considered yelling out that he was human so that something would break in and eat him, sure that it couldn't hurt any more. He'd managed, somehow, to get himself to the shower and use the hot spray to loosen up, but he'd had to go through painkillers like they were candy to make it through the school day. And when Tsukune had started to feel almost normal again, it was time for the club to run; since everyone stayed human this time it wasn't as bad, but Ichiro had cajoled him to match the pace of his first run. He'd run almost as hard as he had the first time, but without a monster chasing him, he couldn't push himself to go quite so fast.

At least he hadn't thrown up that time.

Two weeks had gone by, and Tsukune had fallen into something approaching a routine at Youkai Academy. Indeed, if it wasn't for the frequent sights of monsters attacking each other, it would have appeared for all the world like any high school. That hadn't stopped Tsukune from requesting the papers to officially pursue a transfer to another school, but he still hadn't received even the application forms yet. He gave his head a shake; it appeared bureaucracy wasn't strictly a human shortcoming.

The dull ache in his legs brought him back to the present. While the running didn't leave him in quite the same devastated state as the first run, he always felt it the next day, but it was getting easier -something he hadn't believed possible a few days prior. For something that was supposed to be good for him, and help him survive, it still felt like it was killing him. Back home a bottle of Tylenol could last his family over a decade. It hadn't been a month at Youkai Academy, and he was halfway through a new bottle, and his doses were getting larger to have any effect on his aches and pains. Tsukune tried not to consider what it might be doing to his liver.

He reminded himself that he'd been able to take the tape off his ribs, and his cuts had healed nicely.

Even more troubling, his classmate in the Cross Country club, Kenichi Ogawa, and taken to jostling with Tsukune in the halls, usually making him drop what he was carrying, or squeezing him up against the wall. He'd also muttered the phrase 'human-lover' a couple times, the first occurrence making Tsukune go pale, thinking that he'd been exposed. He relaxed just a little when he realized that Kenichi was simply commenting on his choice of running forms, not his actual species. Tsukune was determined to make sure that the would be antagonist never knew just how close that comment struck to home.

Taking a final bite from his apple, Tsukune brought out his notebook and reviewed the lecture Ms. Nekonome had given that morning. He was still spending most of his evenings either running or reading about different monsters, and he needed to keep his grades up as well, which meant using all available time to study. Lunch was especially useful, since he always ate alone, taking a table away from the crowds and close to the exit. While some club members would nod at him in the halls, Tsukune wasn't about to just join them at a table without being invited, and since no one ever offered to join him, he could put the time to good use.

"Pardon me," a lilting voice broke into Tsukune's concentration. "May I join you?"

Tsukune stifled a tired sigh; this was getting kind of old. The short, blue haired girl standing before him was the prettiest girl he'd seen at Youkai Academy. In fact, she was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen, period. Bright, clear eyes, a cute pouty expression, and a rack that had Tsukune longing to rest his head on. She'd been approaching him for the past three days, usually in the hallways, but occasionally in his classroom, and twice in the cafeteria when he was eating.

"My name's Kurumu Kurono," the beauty had first introduced herself. "What's your name?"

"T-Tsukune Aono…" He'd almost had to check his own student ID to remember it.

"Do you mind if we chat, Tsukune-kun…?" Her voice was like warm honey being poured over silk.

Tsukune had felt his head shake, even as alarm bells were going off in his mind, but gazing into Kurumu's eyes, his worries seemed to become insignificant. He'd forced his eyes down, and gave his head a more vigorous shake to clear it, feeling some measure of control coming back. "I-it's okay, I w-was just leaving now anyways…"

Tsukune had managed to take his leave of her the first time, he'd recalled seeing guys who'd talked with her wandering the halls shortly afterwards like lobotomized zombies, and he didn't want to end up like that. But Kurumu had been unexpectedly persistent, keeping her presence fresh in his mind, even as he tried to avoid her. Even when she wasn't trying to invade his personal space, Tsukune recalled seeing her in the hallways, a throng of male suitors and admirers in tow. Many of her followers seemed to be primes examples of humanity, which probably spoke volumes about their monster status as well.

'So why's she interested in me?' Tsukune pondered, even as he felt his eyes get drawn to her cleavage, just like it drew in the gaze of every other male within visual range of the beauty. Kurumu smelled of flowers, and had an angelic air about her that set off sparks in his mind. But she shouldn't be showing interest in such an ordinary person as him, he wasn't even a monster, and Tsukune knew he had to get away from her before he lost the will to do so.

It wasn't as if he wanted to not spend time with a beautiful woman, but he knew that no one at Youkai Academy was what they seemed, ironically, except for him. The girls were all monsters, no matter what they looked like on the outside, and the safest thing to do was not get involved with anyone. With his usual luck, that wouldn't have been a problem, but this girl Kurumu, she seemed intent on spending time with him, never mind all the other guys who would have done anything to be with her.

'Why do I need to avoid her?' he kept asking himself. When he was near her, and especially when looking into her eyes, he always felt that being with Kurumu would be a good thing. Waiting on her hand and foot was an honor he would have gotten on his hands and knees and begged for. Then the logical part of his mind, the cold, clinical section that had been working hard to keep him alive, would come to the forefront.

He had to get away from her, and not let himself fall into her spell, and he was certain that in Kurumu's case, that phrase had a more literal meaning. Even just glancing up to decline her company had made his thinking a little foggy and he could feel his attraction to her growing steadily, despite his best efforts to suppress it. With effort he stared down at the table, his thoughts getting clearer if he didn't look into her eyes. "G-gotta get something from my room," he mumbled, stuffing his book back in his bag and shuffling for the exit, his thoughts clearing up even more as he put distance between himself and the sapphire haired vision of loveliness.

"Leaving so soon…?" Kurumu pouted audibly, her full lips somehow filling Tsukune's averted gaze.

"I-I really need to go somewhere," Tsukune murmured, not even looking back over his shoulder, not intending to seem rude, but not wanting to lose control and let himself get too close to Kurumu for his own good. Until he came up with a better idea, avoiding her was the best approach he could take, even if it meant going to great lengths to evade her. Tightening the grip on his bag and walking out of the cafeteria Tsukune felt his hormones fading and his pulse slowing as he trudged through the half empty hallway, letting out a sigh of relief at his narrow escape.

And then the cafeteria door was ripped off its hinges.

Hoping with all his heart that it was unrelated to him, but just knowing he wasn't that lucky, Tsukune looked cautiously over his shoulder. The figure that hung in the air might have been Kurumu; blue hair was quite uncommon, and the clothes looked the same, but Tsukune's attention was focused on the prehensile tail, long talons on the hands, and the dragon like wings that sprouted from the back of the enraged looking flier. Where Kurumu's face had been almost angelic, the woman who glared down at him with an expression of fury and promised pain. "That can't be good," Tsukune murmured to himself, before turning to face forward and running like hell. 'Succubus,' he told himself, proving that the time studying the monster encyclopedia wasn't wasted. His improvised flamethrower wouldn't do well against a flier, and his knife was useless, so running was a good start.

"Get back here!" Kurumu screamed in rage, only spurring her quarry to go even faster. Tsukune had a good lead on her, but he had to carefully weave his way through the people in the halls, for fear of crashing into one and driving yet another monster into an insane rage. Gliding over the gawkers that watched the impromptu chase, Kurumu had a bird's eye view of her prey, a hawk circling over a fleeing mouse as she prepared to swoop down. Tsukune bolted for a stairwell, going four stairs at a time as he struggled to shake his erstwhile suitor, looking for an empty classroom or storage room he could hide in.

Upon reaching the top landing, Tsukune got his first lucky break. This floor was deserted, and he could go flat out without having to dodge his classmates. Glancing over his shoulder, Tsukune saw Kurumu come flying from the stairwell, banking sharply as she zeroed in on her target. He would later remember hearing a faint click as a door opened in front of him, followed almost instantaneously by a yowl of surprise, before slamming into a new obstacle.

Tsukune went tumbling, stopping just before sliding into a wall, shaking his head as he looked behind him, shocked and surprised to see Ms. Nekonome on her butt, her eyes crossed as she tried to get her wind back. His inherent good nature chose that time to reassert itself, and instead of trying to put more distance between himself and Kurumu, he scrambled to his teacher's side, trying to help her up. "Get up!" he implored her, expecting the succubus to be on him in a flurry of claws and teeth. "Get out of here, now!"

Ms. Nekonome glanced up and saw Kurumu's enraged form and began to shove Tsukune away. "What are you doing?" she all but yelled at her student. "Go, now!"

"You're more into teachers on the wrong side of thirty?" Kurumu hissed down at Tsukune, causing him to wince, and the thought he heard his teacher growl. The succubus was hovering in the air, her wings beating to keep her aloft, giving Tsukune a hateful stare. She swiped her claws once at the wall, cleaving out a section that crashed down next to the human, missing him by inches.

"What's this about?" Tsukune dried out in near desperation.

"No one spurns me!" Kurumu squared her shoulders and looked about ready for a final dive at the boy who'd dare spurn her, when a new voice cut in sharply.

"That's enough for today, slut!"

Teacher, human, and succubus as one looked to the interlopers; two men and one woman, the men wearing black long coats, and the girl a short black skirt and sleeveless jacket cut from the same cloth stood arrogantly in the hall behind them. Kurumu snarled at the three of them, and Tsukune noticed that Ms. Nekonome's earlike tufts had flattened back. He had no idea who they were, but the yellow armbands said they were the School Protection Committee. 'There's such a group here?' Tsukune deliberated. 'Where have they been all this time?'

Kurumu growled threateningly at the black clad group, challenging them like a lion encountering hyenas. "This is between me and him, back off!"

The dark haired woman gave an impertinent smirk. "You're disturbing order, threatening a student and staff -even if she does sponsor the newspaper club- and you've used your monster form." The woman then opened a panel on the front of her jacket, and six arachnoid legs sprung out. They seemed to be attached to her abdomen, or more like they were growing from it.

"And what do you call that?" Kurumu snarled.

"School Protection Committee members can use their monster forms on duty." Her face then changed into a fully spider form, with large mandibles and additional eyes appearing on the side of her head.

'Spider woman,' Tsukune noted as he took an unconscious step back in fear. He was strangely proud of his growing ability to identify monsters by sight, but really, this one had practically been a gimme.

"Wait here," the spider monster chittered to her still human looking companions. "I'll deal with the slut." With a leap that made Tsukune yelp in surprise, monster sprang towards the blue haired succubus. Kurumu swerved sharply to avoid her assailant, but the giant spider easily clung to the wall where she'd landed. Faced with a far deadlier opponent than a mere human and a nekonome, Kurumu turned and flew away to Tsukune's profound relief. But the spider wasn't finished; scurrying along the wall and moving to the ceiling, it leapt onto the succubus, causing both of them to come crashing to the ground.

Obviously nowhere near as shaken up as Kurumu, the spider launched a stream of silk from her mouth, covering the succubus's pretty face. As she instinctively tried to claw her eyes clear, the spider began to cocoon her, wrapping her securely with frightening speed. Kurumu was still alive, but completely restrained, her struggles doing nothing to free her despite her claws and obvious strength. The spider returned to human form, the transformation quite jarring, and she re-secured the flap on the front of her coat. "Bring her to my office," she told her companions, before walking back to Tsukune and Ms. Nekonome. "I do hope you're okay," she remarked to the teacher with blatant insincerity. "If the newspaper club was shut down, what would the students have to recycle?"

Her 'ears' were flat against her head, and Tsukune could feel the resentment radiating from his teacher. "Our next issue comes out Friday," Ms. Nekonome hissed.

"Not like anyone will read it," the spider woman replied sweetly. "And shouldn't you be thanking me for saving you?"

"I can take care of myself!"

"I'll remember that next time. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a student that needs punishment." She turned on her heel, not even acknowledging Tsukune's presence.

Tsukune bit his lip. He really didn't want the succubus to be harmed, and from the terrified looks Kurumu gave the two black clad students that picked her up, it was unlikely she'd ever repeat the attack. He was going to take a step forward to ask for leniency when his teacher put a hand on his shoulder. Glancing back, he saw her shake her head, and he kept his peace, watching the succubus be carried off to her fate. When they were alone again, he asked "Are you alright?"

A blow to the side of his head was his thanks. "What were you doing? When you're outmatched don't stop for anything, just run! What kind of monster are you?"

Tsukune flinched. "Sorry, I take acting human too far some times," he replied nervously. "But you could have been hurt…"

"I can take care of myself, and she was after you."

He couldn't argue that logic, so Tsukune shifted gears. "Who were they?"

"Enforcers," Ms. Nekonome spat. Her demeanor was a shocking change from her usual bubbly self. "Thugs who terrorize students, and enforce their leaders' word. They answer to no one, and don't ever get on their bad side, they'll kill you," she warned.

"Why?"

"Because they can. They suppress dissent, the school newspaper was crushed last year, it's just a figurehead now," she finished morosely.

Tsukune felt an urge to cheer up the teacher, but he wasn't sure what he could do. "I'll make sure I don't help anyone the next time I get chased…" he told her weakly.

She gave a humourless chuckle. "Try not to get killed for no good reason, at least do that. Don't count on an Enforcer helping you next time. Next one might not have made them mad."

"Thanks for the advice." Tsukune gave her a sad smile.

"Anytime." Ms. Nekonome returned it.

XXX

The universe, as Tsukune would readily attest to, had only a few constants. Death was one of them. Bullies were another. Just like in every human school, there were monsters whose only purpose was to make life miserable for someone else. How they chose their targets was known only to them, but Tsukune was sure it had something to do with how likely they could torment someone without risking punishment. The thug that had professed a desire to kill or rape humans –Saizo, based on what he'd overheard- had looked like a stereotypical bully, but he hadn't done much that Tsukune had noticed.

The guy in the back corner of his class had been far more visible, occasionally shoving students in the hallways, or casually threatening some of Tsukune's class, before turning his attention on Youkai Academy's only human. Perhaps Kenichi had decided Tsukune smelled timid, or he'd somehow picked up on the fear that the young man worked constantly to suppress. But whatever the reason, the result was the same; rude jostling with sarcastic apologies, general psychological assaults, intimidation, threats, all of which were wearing Tsukune down. He'd tried ignoring and enduring the abuse, but that only made things worse. He'd changed his routine to minimize his interactions with his tormentor, but that just encouraged the thug to up the ante.

The punk had pushed Tsukune far past his breaking point, but he'd choked down his anger, knowing that he couldn't win in a physical fight, and hoping the desperate wish of all bullying victims, that it would just STOP. But even with his life as risk, every man has a point where he can endure no more. Tsukune's happened after class one day when he was heading out the door, only to be pushed aside viciously. Even that hadn't been quite enough, but then the guy had turned away with a contemptuous snort.

Days of misery, pent up frustrations and anger, and struggles to avoid the cruelty of some uncaring bully. The dam, stressed for over a week, finally burst. Seeing red, knowing he was losing control but no longer caring, Tsukune let out an enraged snarl and shoved his tormentor as hard as he could, making him stumble, driving him face first into the wall.

"I think that scrawny guy finally had enough," a bystander remarked loudly, as the people in the hall stopped to watch the proceedings.

"This should be interesting," the person next to him agreed.

Tsukune could hear himself breathing as he watched Kenichi slowly raise himself from the floor. The almost sexual rush of satisfaction was annihilated when the monster got up, his eyes literally red, and his features altering.

"You're fuckin' dead…" the antagonist rasped.

Not sticking around to see what kind of monster Kenichi was, Tsukune bolted for the stairs, blessing his cross country membership, and hoping the bully couldn't fly. He didn't bother taking the steps, he just jumped down from one landing to the next, reaching the ground floor in record time, his blood running cold when he heard inhuman roaring behind him. Not wasting time looking over his shoulder, afraid of colliding with someone again, Tsukune burst through the front door, causing a group of students to scatter out of the way to avoid being run over.

Thankful to see only open ground ahead of him, with only a few trees between him and the dormitory, Tsukune went flat out, confident that he'd be able to lose himself in the crowded residence, when he suddenly had his feet taken out from under him. Crashing heavily into the ground, his book bag flying away from his grip, Tsukune felt the wind get roughly driven out of him when he hit the dirt. Gasping and shaking his spinning head to try to clear it, he was shocked to see tree roots sticking up from the soil, which he knew hadn't been there moments earlier. Heavy, plodding footfalls made the ground tremble, and a howl drew Tsukune's attention. "Stupid move, trying to escape through the trees!"

"A dendroid," he murmured to himself. A monstrous tree was almost swaggering towards him, gnarled branches for arms, bright red eyes and teeth that looked plenty sharp, even if they were wood. Looking around frantically for his bag, Tsukune struggled to get to his feet when the tree monster swatted him savagely, the branch striking him across the face, sending him flying. Losing consciousness momentarily, Tsukune recovered just in time for a tree trunk like foot to kick him in the stomach, doubling him over and sending him tumbling again.

Tasting blood in his mouth, his body screaming in agony, Tsukune's eyes went wide when he saw his bag on the ground, no more than a foot away. Barely taking notice of the crowd that had gathered to watch the fight, Tsukune rolled over on his stomach, dragging himself closer to his satchel, his fingers closing tightly around the handle even as he was bodily lifted off of the ground and thrown, his face being scratched by twigs branching off his attacker's arms. The impact with the ground nearly knocked him into oblivion, but he forced himself to stay awake, the monster's snarling getting louder as it stomped slowly towards him, probably ready to finish him off.

Bullies hated it when their targets fought back.

Laying on his side and willing his fingers to work, Tsukune managed to get his bag open, reaching in until he felt a metal cylinder. Pulling it out, using his thumb to snap off the plastic cap, and gripping it like a lifeline, he used his left hand to pull one of the lighters he carried at all times, hoping with all his heart it would work. He had just gotten both of them ready when he was forcefully rolled onto his back, the dendroid cocking back a branch to drive it right through him.

Whipping up his arms, flicking the lighter and grinning ferally when a flame lit with a click, he depressed the top of the aerosol can a half second later.

Frooooosh!

Outdoors, the flame was a little underwhelming to Tsukune; it didn't seem as bright, or as loud.

The dendroid probably didn't share the sentiment. The gout of fire roared right into its face, some of it going into its mouth. The dried out bark made perfect kindling, going alight almost instantly. Screaming in horror, it tried to beat out the flames with its hands, but only literally added fuel to the fire. Considering how frantically it was trying to extinguish itself, it was understandable that it didn't notice Tsukune getting back to his feet, until the human triggered a much longer burst, this one starting at its feet and working up the torso, using fire's natural preference to climb to spread. Tsukune noticed that the hairspray was sticking where it touched, a little like napalm.

Watching his tormentor burn, its screams and the crackling of flame caused Tsukune to feel savage glee. When the dendroid actually tried to stop, drop, and roll to put himself out, he almost laughed. But the aches that flowed over him killed any levity. Rolling around in dry grass wasn't helping extinguish the blaze, and an inhuman, keening wail came from the fireball that had minutes ago looked very human. The sound would have normally made Tsukune wet his pants, but his blood was practically singing now, and he did his best to impair the monsters efforts to put itself out by letting it have a third, longer blast, keeping the trigger depressed until the aerosol began to sputter.

"Fire needs three things to exist," he informed the burning monster, trying to keep himself from showing his terror, and excitement. "Heat, oxygen, and a source of fuel. Guess which you are!"

Screams turned to cries, then to whimpering, until everything was silent except the crackle of the funeral pyre of the dendroid. Watching the fire as he tried to catch his breath, Tsukune noticed that more than a few of schoolmates had gathered around because of the commotion, and a few of them were giving him hard looks. As the adrenalin and fury cleared his system the realization of what he'd done almost made Tsukune's knees buckle. It was one thing to think about getting even with a bully; going ahead and killing one was something else entirely. Even if the dendroid had made his life hard, killing another sentient being, one that was pretty close to being human, was something no ordinary human could do without being affected.

Tsukune felt gorge rise in his stomach, and he could tell cold sweat had broken out all over his body. Looking at the monsters watching him made him realize that the dendroid might have had friends, possibly even ones that wouldn't be annoyed by flame, or who could perhaps even breathe it. He was still vulnerable, still alone, and his best chance to surprise an unwary monster would probably be common knowledge within an hour. If monsters could smell fear, he was lucky that the thick black smoke from the fire might conceal his.

"Why the hell'd you'd do that?" an upperclassman called out.

"Do what?" Tsukune was never more proud of himself for not giving away a hint of his terror by having his voice crack.

"Burn him," a girl answered for the guy. "Why didn't you use your monster form?"

Tsukune had been expecting this, and he silently blessed Ichiro for unknowingly giving him an excuse after the first run. "We're learning to be human, right?" When a few of the onlookers nodded, somewhat reluctantly, he continued. "I just fought like a human would."

"How's that?"

"Dirty." Tsukune had never been more scared, ever, but he could not show any weakness, or he probably wouldn't last another minute. He noticed something in the pocket of one of the closer students, and casually walked towards him, his mind screaming that this was madness. Tsukune had had a lot of practice ignoring that voice. Disregarding that the guy was a foot taller, and probably twice his weight, Tsukune brazenly took the pack of cigarettes from his pocket, fished out one of the white cylinders and put the pack back where he found it. Coolly turning his back to the man, hoping he simply wouldn't be struck down, Tsukune walked towards the bonfire, which was still going strong, taking hold of a branch that wasn't burning at the end and broke it off with a snap. He brought the burning end towards his face and used it to light the cigarette, before throwing the wood back into the fire. The smoke filling his mouth made him more nauseous, and it took all of his will to keep from coughing.

Retrieving his book bag, calmly placing the now empty hairspray can back inside, Tsukune walked back towards the dorm, hiding his limp, and not wanting to show just how badly that tree monster had hurt him. He walked normally, not hurrying even though he wanted nothing more than to lock himself in his room and scream. Discarding the cigarette when he reached the door, he hadn't taken a single puff, Tsukune kept his face calm, a grimace that threatened to crack any second.

Finally making it back to his room he walked inside, locking the door before dashing to the bathroom, just managing to reach the toilet before he started vomiting. Even after his stomach was empty he was racked by dry heaves for what felt like forever, before spitting out the last of the bile, wiping his mouth on his shirt sleeve and flushing the reeking mess away. Pushing himself awkwardly to his feet, he got a look at himself in the mirror. His face had a nasty gash across it, he hadn't noticed the pain earlier, and his skin was as white as milk. Tsukune was absolutely covered with sweat; some of the smoke had mixed with it, giving him an ashen pallor that made him look almost dead.

With trembling fingers Tsukune removed his jacket and tie, tossing them on the floor next to his bed. The shirt was soaked with perspiration and had vomit smeared on the sleeve, so it went into the hamper. He could see a bruise from where he'd been kicked, but as bad as had hurt, it hadn't seemed to do much damage, or aggravate his ribs. Tsukune could smell his own stink, mixed with the acrid smoke that had been a classmate, and he stripped for a shower. A long soak under hot water took away the grime, but it couldn't wash away his fear, or his remorse.

"Why couldn't he have just left me alone?" Tsukune murmured softly. As he closed his eyes to rinse off, he could see the monster writhing as the flames consumed him, its death screams still ringing in his ears. Tsukune started to shake; before today he'd resorted to theft to help survive his time at Youkai Academy, but now he'd graduated to murder. 'What happens now?' he wondered. Would the Enforcers take him away to be executed? He'd only ever seen them when that spider girl had taken down Kurumu, but since he'd killed a classmate in such a high profile way, Tsukune expected them to come knocking at his door soon.

Finishing his shower, but guilt and shame were still making him feel dirty, Tsukune dried off, put on a t-shirt and some boxers, and barricaded his door. It was a force of habit by now, even though he figured it wouldn't do anything to keep out a determined monster. It was just about time for dinner to be served, but Tsukune had no appetite, knowing that anything he tried eating would be violently rejected. Sleeping wasn't going to be easy, but at least it might be possible to stop thinking about what had happened if he did.

As he climbed stiffly into bed Tsukune went to close the blinds, and saw that the funeral pyre was still burning brightly. Closing them and setting his head on his pillow, he felt tears well up and flow down his face, seeing the death over and over again when he closed his eyes, the agonized screams repeating over and over and over. When he finally fell into troubled, fitful sleep, Tsukune's shoulders were shaking, his sobs muffled by the blanket he gripped tightly in his teeth.

End of Chapter Two

Author's Notes:

Pre-read by Random1377 and Mereo Flere


	3. Circling the Drain

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Rosario + Vampire:

He Who Fights Monsters…

Chapter Three: Circling the Drain

Written by: Hawker_748

Tsukune's eyes cracked open, blinking away the blurriness before the focused on his alarm clock. 7:34. He'd forgotten to set his alarm the night before, but he hadn't slept very much anyway, his subconscious torturing him over committing murder the day before. Reluctantly pushing himself out of bed, rubbing his eyes to clear away the sand, Tsukune shambled towards the shower. He didn't have the time to review his monster encyclopedia, but he wasn't in the mood to either. When sleep had come it had been filled by sounds and images of Kenichi burning to death.

'Why haven't I been taken away?' he asked himself. Tsukune had killed someone, in front of many witnesses, in a rather non-subtle manner. He'd expected the Student Protection Committee to break down his door and lead him away in chains, if not execute him on the spot. Yet it was well over twelve hours, and so far there hadn't been any consequences for what he'd done; fights at Youkai Academy were commonplace, but he hadn't heard of any deaths so far.

Part of Tsukune was ready to just wait for the local authorities to come and collect him, waves of regret and remorse continued to wash over him, but he knew he had to go on as if nothing had happened. He was starting to consider the possibility that there wouldn't be any official action over what he'd done, and while that sickened him, it also meant he had to keep going to school and keeping up his outer appearance. The hot shower helped wake him up, but it didn't make him feel any better, and he could still hear Kenichi's screams every time he closed his eyes. Drying off in front of a mirror, Tsukune saw he had dark circles under his eyes and they were bloodshot as well. He also looked a little gaunt, there were scratches on his face and chest, and a bruise on his stomach.

Swallowing three painkillers, Tsukune then got dressed, putting on a clean shirt and tie, and wondering if he'd have any undamaged clothes left by the time the semester was over. Making sure he looked presentable, he took a deep breath before putting on his 'mask.' Youkai Academy's only human moved the desk away from the door, made sure he had a new hairspray aerosol in his bag, unlocked the door and stepped into the hallway, making his way to the cafeteria. He had no appetite to speak of, but he knew he needed to eat, even if he'd have a hard time keeping it down.

When Tsukune walked into the cafeteria all the talking didn't stop, and everyone didn't turn to look at him, which almost made the young man sigh with relief. But it did seem as if the volume of chatter got lower, with several students leaning in close to talk with the people next to them, and Tsukune noticed a few people giving him looks before turning away. He could swear he heard his name whispered a few times, but he acted as if he hadn't, not wanting to react to anyone, possibly provoking something he wouldn't be able to handle. Putting on an air of confident nonchalance Tsukune filled his tray and took a seat at an empty table near the exit, all the better if he needed to run.

Even though Tsukune suspected he was the subject of more than a few conversations over breakfast, he was able to eat in peace, reviewing his homework, without anyone approaching him. Finishing his meal and putting his books back in his bag, Tsukune placed his tray at the collection area and started out towards the school. As usual he walked alone, trying to keep from encroaching on anyone's personal space, or drawing any unwanted attention to himself. But as he got closer to the school, he noticed a thin ribbon of smoke rising into the grey overcast skies; it was so wispy he hadn't noticed it earlier and he knew what it was instantly.

Tsukune approached the final resting place of Kenichi Ogawa, the fire having long since burned itself out, but a solitary column of smoke was rising into the sky. He wanted to give it a wide berth, not even wishing to set eyes upon yet another reminder. But Tsukune was afraid it might be interpreted as a sign of weakness, so he kept up his pace and steeled himself for what he was about to see. It reminded him of the morning after a bonfire; greyish ash with a few scattered embers glowing a dull red. As he passed the burned out funeral pyre of his tormentor, Tsukune gave it a cursory look, almost expecting to see just a charred skeleton.

But other than some ash, and a few small pieces of charcoal, there was nothing left of the dendroid. 'They just let him burn?' Tsukune wondered silently, briefly closing his eyes and offered inner prayers for whatever passed for a soul of Kenichi. He hadn't deserved a fate like that, even if he'd tried making Tsukune's life hell, and he used the guilt to anchor his humanity. Moving past the charred remains, he headed for the steps of Youkai Academy, trying to ignore the occasional whispers and pointed fingers he noticed.

"-and Kenichi's got 'im on the ground, kicking his ass…'

Tsukune's composure almost slipped when he overheard the brash voice coming from his homeroom. He really didn't want to go in at the moment, but there were a bunch of students behind him, and stopping would just cause a traffic jam of monsters in the hallway.

"It looks like the scrawny guy's had it, game over. But just as Ken rolls him over to finish him… Whoosh! Aono whips out a spray can and lights him up like a torch." Tsukune's classmate was holding court, half the class around him as he regaled them with the tale, no one apparently noticing that the star of the story had arrived.

"He just lit him up, turned him into a bonfire. And if that wasn't enough, cool as ice he just takes a smoke from some huge guy and uses Ken's burning limbs to light it. Never saw anythi-" The storyteller broke it off when he looked up and saw Tsukune walking in. He slipped into his desk, thoroughly cowed and suddenly finding his textbook quite fascinating. The students who'd listened in rapt attention sheepishly returned to their desks, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Tsukune stomped down a sigh as he made his way to his desk, bothered by the enthusiasm that his classmates had shown talking about a murder. He sat at his desk and took out his books, when he felt a chill run down his spine. It took him a second to realize that it hadn't been fear, he had literally gotten cold for a second or two before it passed. 'Was that the air conditioner?' Tsukune glanced up to see if he was under a vent. Finding none, he just shrugged, only noticing a girl with purple hair at the doorway out of the corner of his eye.

He saw striped socks, and a look of utter disdain before she left the class. 'Who was that? Was she in our room before?' Tsukune was trying to recall if he'd seen her before when Ms. Nekonome walked in. Filing away the unfamiliar face for now, Tsukune opened his textbook to follow along with the lecture. But as class went on, he subtlety looked around the class, curious how his actions might have affected how he was viewed by his classmates. Tsukune didn't know whether to be relieved or depressed that there seemed to be a few respectful glances towards him before they returned their attention back to the lecture.

What was the biggest surprise to him was when a rather pretty girl two desks over, with jet black hair that had to reach her knees, briefly locked eyes with Tsukune when he glanced over. He was astonished to see a faint blush on her face before she dropped her gaze back to her book. Tsukune was ready to scream; he'd killed a classmate the day before, and instead of being ostracized, it had actually raised his status in his other classmates' eyes. And a girl was even crushing on him now? He was certain this entire school was insane, and if he didn't get away from here soon, he'd end up that way as well. Trying to concentrate on Ms. Nekonome's lesson, Tsukune vowed that the first chance he got he was going to make sure he received the paperwork to start the transfer process.

XXX

He'd gotten away with murder.

Tsukune was certain of that now. It had been almost an entire day, but aside from becoming a topic of gossip among his classmates, there had been no other repercussions. As he packed up his bag and prepared to return to his room to change – the cross country club had a run scheduled for today - Tsukune wanted to weep at the unfairness of it all. Snapping his bag closed, he paused as a shadow seemed to fall over him; a quick glance up revealed Saizo standing next to his desk, arms crossed, practically sneering down at Tsukune.

"So, you like being a wimpy human?"

Hoping that the monster couldn't hear his heart racing, Tsukune kept his cool, having more practice with that the past few weeks than in his entire life. "It's why we come here, right?" he kept his tone as calm as possible, not wanting to antagonize Saizo any further.

Saizo scoffed. "We should just kill them all… One day we will," he remarked coolly. "When that day comes, will you remember which side you're on?"

Tsukune felt his expression harden. "I'll never forget that…"

The monster smiled cruelly. "Glad to hear it." Saizo nodded approvingly and walked away, having no idea that the hatred he'd witnessed was directed at him.

Taking a deep breath to try to calm down, Tsukune willed his hands to unclench, and clear the sudden pleasant image of blowing the back of Saizo's head off. Thinking like that was foolish; he didn't have any firearms, and if he let himself get carried away he'd make a mistake that would get him killed. Giving his head a shake, he stood up only to bump into another of his classmates. "Sorry, pardon me."

"It's alright."

A shock of pink hair drew Tsukune's attention. Moka Akashiya, the school's most popular girl, with a fan club larger than even Kurumu's. 'What happened to her, anyways?' Tsukune wondered in a sudden thought. 'I haven't seen her since that run in with the Enforcers.' Realizing that Moka was looking at him clinically brought his thoughts back to the present. This was the girl who'd nearly run him over with her bicycle when he'd first arrived, and the way she was looking at him made him uneasy. "Is something wrong?"

"Why do you try so hard to be human?"

"That's why we come here, right?" Tsukune really didn't feel like discussing this topic with anyone.

"I'd rather not, I hate humans."

"Why?"

"When they found out what I was, they were cruel to me."

'Probably afraid you'd eat 'em.' Tsukune thought. "At least you won't have to deal with them here." The irony nearly made him laugh. Turning and walking out of the class, leaving the school idol to her adoring throng in the hallway, Tsukune made his way back to his room. After changing into his running clothes, he slipped his knife into the small scabbard he'd attached to the back of his waistband.

The run was painful, tiring, but otherwise uneventful, Tsukune managing to improve his time a little, but still not able to match the pace of his panic fuelled first run. He was rather surprised that he finished first yet again; whatever strength monsters might have had, endurance didn't seem to be their strong suit. After humbly accepting Ichiro's praise for his ability and commitment, Tsukune made his way back to his room to shower and change. He had an appointment that evening with the school's public phones. He hadn't been able to get a signal for his cell phone even once, not even one measly bar, but the payphones worked fine. It was time for his regular call/disinformation session with his parents.

XXX

Kasumi Aono turned off the stovetop and rushed over to the phone, her heart skipping a beat. "Hello?" she answered after picking it up.

"Hi mom," Tsukune's voice reached out across the distance.

"Tsukune, it's so nice to hear from you again, I missed you so much!"

"It's only been a week since the last call," her son reminded her, and she was certain he was blushing.

"You're my son, of course I'd worry about you."

"Of course, that's why you sent me here."

"Is something wrong?" The connection with Youkai Academy, wherever it was, wasn't very good, Mrs. Aono had often noticed. The interference on the line had made her son's gentle voice sound rather harsh and cruel.

"No mom, nothing's wrong, I'm just a little tired, that's all."

Now her son sounded more like she remembered. "You're still running, right? Has that been helping you sleep?"

"A little," Tsukune admitted. "But it's hard to sleep well in such a strange place."

Kasumi smiled softly. Tsukune had always been so gentle, he would need to grow up a little if being away from home could disturb him so much. "Have you made any new friends? Found a girlfriend yet?"

"Lots of people know about me," Tsukune replied. "They were talking about me during breakfast and lunch."

"That's great!" Kasumi gushed. "I knew that getting accepted into Youkai Academy would change things for you."

"Yeah… It has."

Hopefully Youkai Academy would get a cell tower soon, so she wouldn't have to hear her son's voice sounding so bitter. "You still say that your father and I can't visit you?"

"That's right, it's not allowed," Tsukune replied emphatically.

Kasumi sighed in disappointment. At least he hadn't screamed this time. "When you come back for break you'll have to tell me all about it."

"If I last that long…"

"As long as you study hard, you'll do fine."

"…Right… Listen mom, there's a line-up here, I'll call you again next week. Goodbye."

Kasumi's eyes watered. Tsukune's farewells seemed so solemn. "Take care, we love you."

"Love you too." Tsukune's voice was followed by a click and a dial tone.

"Was that Tsukune?" His father asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Yes, but he had to go."

"How is he?"

"He sounds like he's doing just fine," Kasumi told him proudly.

XXX

Tsukune removed the calling card from the phone and sighed, the short breath sounding insignificant in the empty hallway. As much as he wanted to tell his family everything, there was no way they'd believe anything as fantastic as the idea that their son was the only human at a school for monsters. Satisfied that he'd reassured them he was okay for another week, Tsukune returned to his room, his footsteps in the deserted hallways sounding as lonely as he felt. Keeping his face a stoic mask was second nature to him now and he unlocked his room and opened the door, his mask slipping for a second when he looked down.

He quickly pulled the door shut, rapidly looking around to make sure there weren't any other students around. 'No way, I did NOT see that,' he told himself. 'I have to be imagining things.' After making certain that he was alone in the hallway, Tsukune carefully reopened his door and looked at the floor, and against all expectations, the envelope was still there.

A pink envelope.

A pink envelope, with red hearts.

A pink envelope, with red hearts, and his name on it.

Nudging it further into the room with his foot, half expecting it to spring to life and attack him, Tsukune closed and locked the door. Pulling out a lighter and taking hold of a can of hairspray, he knelt down and looked closely at it. The envelope looked harmless enough, and while incinerating it in place might be the safest move, human curiosity compelled him to reach out for it. Tsukune picked it up gingerly, then threw it across the room, hitting the floor and covering his head. When no explosion occurred after a few seconds, he looked up and saw it laying on the floor, looking no more dangerous than it had originally.

Feeling a little satisfied that it wasn't going to kill him, and blushing in embarrassment, Tsukune picked the envelope up from the floor and opened it, an aroma of lavender wafting into his nose. Cautiously unfolding the pink paper the envelope held, noticing hearts and kiss prints on the paper alongside the feminine looking writing, Tsukune began to read.

_To my most special person,_

_You may not have noticed me, but I always noticed you. I watched you from afar, afraid to make a move, but I've gathered up my courage to tell you what I feel. I've waited too long to do something, and if I don't say it now I'll lose you, and I couldn't bear that. Please meet me behind the school after classes tomorrow, and accept my feelings for you…_

The love note was signed 'An anonymous admirer.' Meeting behind the school was the most isolated area on the grounds, but that was supposed to be the custom for this type of thing, not that Tsukune had any practical experience in such things. Showing up for this might be hazardous to his health, but part of him was curious about what sort of monster would take a romantic interest in him.

Tsukune felt his features harden as another possibility entered his mind; maybe someone was just trying to lead him into a trap? He couldn't discount that possibility, but it was more likely (and that thought inspired a grim chuckle) that this was just what it looked like, a young girl's admission of affection. Tsukune decided that he would go see who had sent this note tomorrow after school, listen to what she had to say, and then gently decline her feelings.

His paranoia didn't desert him though, and he made a mental note to bring along his improvised weapons, just in case. Tsukune would also make certain he had a clear path to escape if he needed to use it. Slipping the note into its envelope, and tucking it into his desk, Tsukune went to wash his hands, make sure he was presentable and headed down to the cafeteria for dinner. After a late meal, he retired to his room to study, boning up on his mathematics, and reading the last hundred pages or so of his monster encyclopedia.

XXX

Tsukune leaned against the stones that made up the exterior of Youkai Academy, his eyes flicking back and forth as he watched the other students walking about. The back of the school wasn't as deserted as he had feared, and Tsukune was pretty sure that he could get away cleanly at the first sign of trouble; his cross country membership had paid off handsomely. He was known as a hard runner to catch, and that was without using the panic induced speed he'd displayed in the first run. If anyone questioned his lack of bravery, he'd simply point out that a human's first thought would be to run like hell.

There.

A girl was making her way towards him, a faint blush on her cheeks visible even at a distance. She looked familiar to Tsukune, but he was certain she wasn't in his homeroom class. When she stood in front of him, he finally recalled that she was in the same English class as him, sitting a few rows over, if his memory served.

"Hello Tsukune."

"An anonymous admirer?"

The girl, who was a little shorter than him with ash blonde hair and chocolate color eyes smiled politely. "Yes, that's me. My name's Guno Yasai."

"It-it's nice to meet you."

"Did you like the letter?"

"Yes, it was quite pretty," Tsukune admitted, trying to think of the best way to let her down gently.

"I'm glad to hear that," Guno replied, keeping her head bowed. "I worked on it for a long, long time, trying to get it just right…"

"I could tell."

"Six months I worked on that, getting the kisses and hearts placed perfectly…"

"You-you didn't have to work that hard-" Tsukune's reply died suddenly when his mind registered what she'd said. 'Wait, I haven't been here six months…'

"We grew up together," Guno continued, ignoring the worried look growing on Tsukune's features. "I always wanted to give him the perfect note, and tell him how I felt, but now I can't." Guno's voice had gotten harder, her shoulders starting to shake, and when she looked up at Tsukune, he nearly cried out in fear at the hatred he saw there.

"I was already to give him the note two days ago, but he went after you. I wanted to marry him, love him, but you killed Kenichi, and I don't want to live without him," Guno rasped, fury and heartbreak at war in her eyes. "But I'll be sure to kill you first!"

Tsukune had been backing away slowly, undoing his satchel to get at the hairspray when Guno transformed into her monster form, and he froze with surprise. He'd been expecting another dendroid, but the vengeful monster that glared at him in utter hatred was something else. "A golem," he murmured. With bodies made from wet clay, a blast of fire would only annoy one, and his knife would just sink into the mass without cutting anything. It would be like stabbing a carton of ice cream.

With running the only possible option, Tsukune turned on his heel and scrambled away, going all out to put as much distance between him and the heartbroken monster. From what he remembered reading, golems weren't supposed to be fast, so he hoped to able to get away so he'd have time to think. When Guno lurched out of the ground in front of him, Tsukune frantically tried to stop, but his inertia carried him towards her, increasing the force of the impact when she drove a fist into his chest.

Barely able to suppress a scream when he felt his ribs crack, the air driven out of him violently, Tsukune gasped pathetically as he lay on his back, feeling helpless as Guno loomed over him. 'Golems aren't supposed to be able to move through the soil!' his mind protested, just managing to roll away when she smashed her foot into the earth. Tsukune struggled to get back to his feet to run; if that blow had connected, it would have killed him. He managed to take a few steps when another fist slammed into his shoulder blades, careening him forward to crash in a heap.

"Kenichi was the nicest person I ever knew!" the golem screamed accusingly. "And you burned him up!"

His body wracked in agony, a red haze of pain blurring his vision, Tsukune crawled forward, trying the get away from the vengeful monster. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the golem disappear into the ground, only to spring up and reform right next to him. Guno grabbed him by the jacket collar and yanked him up, casually tossing him forward. Tsukune managed to land on, and stay on, his feet, and he desperately lurched away from his assailant.

"Still playing human? Fine. Monster or human form, you're dead…"

Pushing through the pain, Tsukune managed to get himself to run again, frantically watching the path ahead of him for Guno to ambush him again. He'd never be able to evade her outside, so he made his way towards the school entrance as swiftly as he could. Weaving through classmates while being chased was getting depressingly commonplace to the young man. Ignoring the cries of annoyance from the people he zipped by, he didn't even consider try to apologize. Somehow he managed to make it to the concrete steps without crashing into another monster or taking another hit from Guno.

"You won't escape hiding indoors!" the golem yelled as she pounded through the doors seconds behind Tsukune. "You can't escape a young maiden's heart!"

"He shoulda just left me alone!" Tsukune yelled back. He hadn't wanted to kill Kenichi, and he could even understand why Guno was so driven for revenge. Part of him even felt sorry for her. But he wasn't about to just give up and let her kill him either.

"Shut up and die like a monster!"

'I'll pass,' Tsukune told himself as he reached the staircase. Instinctively, humans tend to head upwards when being pursued, a genetic memory from their early mammal origins, during which time the best method of self-preservation was to climb a tree. Going against eons of instinctive behaviour, Tsukune descended into the basement. It hadn't changed at all from how it had looked the time he'd wandered down here, wanting to be familiar with all the areas of his school.

Poorly lit, dank, with cobwebs and dust giving silent testament to how infrequently this space was used. There was even a rat scurrying along the floor, but Tsukune saw the two things he'd recalled noticing the last time he'd ventured down here, and they were the most welcome sight he'd ever laid eyes on. He stopped running and leaned against a wall around a corner at a junction in the hallway, deliberately allowing part of his left shoulder to stick out, making sure that the golem would be able to see him. Catching his breath, and trying to shut off the pain through sheer force of will, he gripped the object he'd come for tightly in his hands.

The golem slowly made her way down the stairs, her footsteps heavy in the enclosed space. She smiled thinly when she saw her prey making a pathetic attempt to hide around a corner. Guno could hear voices above her on the stairs as the bystanders had followed the chase, always interested in a fight. "Did you come down here to hide with the other rats, Tsukune?" she called out, standing in the center of the dark corridor.

"No, this is the only place where the floors have a drain…"

Tsukune stepped out into the open, the brass nozzle of a fire hose in his hands, the hose swollen with water after he'd opened the faucet as far as it would go. When he twisted the machined brass to let the water fly, the force of it nearly tore the nozzle from his grip, and he had to struggle to keep it under control.

The blast of water drove into the golem, clay washing away under the liquid onslaught. A terrified shriek came from the monster's throat as Tsukune managed to get the bucking nozzle under his control, unleashing the narrowest stream the hose could produce, the high pressure water lancing into Guno like an ice pick. She desperately tried to block it with her hands, and was horrified to see them erode away before her eyes, leaving rapidly dwindling stumps in their wake. Screaming in utter agony and fear, Guno tried to make a break for it, but Tsukune focused the spray on her right leg, directly at the knee. This washed away the joint and sent her crashing down into a growing puddle of water and her own body, both of which were swirling into the grate on the floor.

Gritting his teeth to suppress his own gasps from the pain each breath sent through his body, Tsukune widened the column a little, not slicing as deeply into the golem, but washing away more of her every second. He dragged the hose towards her, making sure to give her a wide berth to not allow Guno the chance to lash out blindly at him or the hose. Taking a position at the base of the stairs, cutting off the only viable escape path, Tsukune tightened the stream slightly as he played the blast over the cowering golem. By now the floor was covered by muddy water and he took a second to give the drain a shot every few moments to make sure it wasn't getting plugged up. He was certain he could hear the monsters watching behind him murmuring, barely audible over the whooshing rush of the water.

The process reminded Tsukune of washing down the outside of his home during spring cleaning, and he kept trying to think of it like that; it was far better for his mental well-being than thinking of it as murder. With all the mist in the air and the poor lighting it was difficult for Tsukune to see how much of Guno was left, he couldn't make out any movements, and the screaming had mercifully stopped. Twisting the nozzle and cutting off the water, he peered into the gloomy darkness, hose at the ready if the golem was simply playing dead.

Guno Yasai was next to the drain.

What was left of her, anyway.

Tsukune had washed away so much of her mass, all that was left in front of the chrome grate was a right arm and shoulder, less than a quarter of a torso, as well as a head and neck. Only the face looked human now, her brown eyes wide in terror, the ruined mass of her arm up in a futile attempt to protect herself. "I'm sorry, I'll leave you alone, I don't want to die, please don't kill me…" she mewled piteously up at the man she'd just tried to murder.

Tsukune's hands trembled as the held the dripping nozzle. She'd never tried to harm him before, and all she'd wanted was for the boy she liked to notice her. She was helpless now, frantic and terrified, wanting nothing more than to live, something he could relate to. Letting her go was the compassionate thing to do, probably even the right thing. Had they been alone, Tsukune probably would have spared her.

But his classmates were behind him, watching his every move, and at Youkai Academy showing mercy seemed to be signing your own death warrant. Tsukune briefly allowed his mask to slip, letting Guno see the anguish and regret he was feeling, silently mouthing the words 'I'm sorry.' Then his expression went blank again as he opened the nozzle, sending the stream of water directly at her, concentrating on the rushing sound to try to ignore her screaming.

"Kenichi…"

Tsukune thought he heard his first victim's name through the burbling, and then it was quiet, except for the watery mud flowing down the drain, and he widened the spray, not closing the nozzle until the water going through the grate was clear.

"Is that the same one who burned a guy?" A girl asked out to no one in particular.

"Yeah, that's him…" another bystander replied. "Saw that one too. This guy's harsh."

Concealing his agony, Tsukune dragged the hose back to the tap and shut off the water, opening the nozzle to let out the last of it. His mind numb, he headed for the stairs.

"Humans really fight like that?" an upperclassman remarked as Tsukune walked by.

"Yeah… Trust me, they do," Tsukune responded, struggling to keep his focus. He ignored the wary looks of the witnesses, wishing with all his heart he hadn't let go of his bag, since he had to go get it before he could go back to his room to succour his wounds. Wracked in pain he stiffly made his way behind the school, picked up his satchel and trudged back to the dormitory. Finally back in the questionable safety of his room, Tsukune bit his pillow and screamed into it, most of the sound muffled. Practically sobbing, he took off his jacket, tie, and shirt, struggling to wrap up his ribs again.

As bad as it hurt, Tsukune took minor comfort that he hadn't punctured a lung, and he didn't think he had an internal bleed. If it was true that broken bones healed stronger, by the time he escaped from Youkai Academy, Tsukune figured his ribcage would be bulletproof. The chest wraps and painkillers hardly even lessened the pain, and he wondered if he'd even be able to sleep that night. He longed to seek medical aid, but even a perfunctory exam would reveal his true nature, and he doubted he'd survive the exposure. Slowly making his way to the bathroom to wash his face, Tsukune's eyes fell upon the drain in the sink.

Was Guno still down there, somewhere? He didn't think that she'd be able to come back, but he couldn't be sure. Tsukune let out a depressed sigh; now he couldn't even go near plumbing without getting tense. The regret and remorse hit him harder this time, and he truly wished he could have avoided all this, and he hoped that if there was an afterlife, Guno and Kenichi were together now. Once he'd finished cleaning up, Tsukune leaned his head down until his mouth was inches from the drain; "I'm sorry…" he murmured down the pipe, hoping that Guno was more human than he had been. After his apology, Tsukune stuck the plugs in both the sink and the tub, and put down the toilet lid.

Carefully slipping into bed, gritting his teeth as his tormented ribs jostled in ways they were never intended to, Tsukune closed his eyes and tried to sleep. But now two screams haunted him, and his mind was filled with the images of him murdering a couple, one with fire, the other with water. Sleep was a long time coming that night, and when it finally took him, the pain from the simple act of breathing disturbed it, leaving Tsukune bleary eyed and weary in the morning.

End of Chapter Three.

Author's Notes:

Pre-read by random1377 and Mereo Flere. All errors are mine, not theirs.


	4. Come Into My Parlor

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Rosario + Vampire:

He Who Fights Monsters…

Chapter Four: Come Into My Parlor

Written by: Hawker_748

Tsukune sipped his coffee slowly, using the hot beverage to wake himself up after yet another night of insufficient sleep. This time, he knew people were talking about him, and they weren't hesitant to occasionally point and stare either. It could have been a lot worse; no other suitors had come out of the woodwork, and it appeared that the official penalty for killing two students was the same as just one. 'At least they're consistent,' Tsukune thought grimly.

If he'd had to guess how others viewed him, Tsukune would say he was most probably respected, or more likely seen as a person to be wary of. He supposed that was better than being seen as a victim, or an easy target, but the way he'd earned that rep was horrific. In the human world neither of the deaths would have been considered without cause; both victims had been assaulting him and threatened to kill him. Legally he was allowed to defend himself, and using deadly force would probably be seen as acceptable.

But even if he'd been pardoned completely, Tsukune still bore the guilt of what he'd done. In time, he figured he might be able to come to terms with what he'd done to Kenichi, but the cold hearted way he'd dispatched Guno would always weigh heavy on his conscience. When he could have been an example of human compassion, he'd flushed her down the drain, just to keep people from thinking he was soft. Just a few weeks at Youkai Academy had led him to do unspeakable things; what would he be like after a semester? After graduation?

"Hey."

Tsukune broke out of his pondering when he noticed someone across the table from him. "Yes?" he replied, his shoulders tightening up in case this was another student angry about a friend or loved one.

"You're Tsukune Aono, right?"

"Yeah…" There was no point trying to deny it, and pretending to be someone else might further enrage the young man in front of him. Tsukune subtly repositioned himself so he could grab at the knife he now kept in his jacket, ready to lurch out of his chair to bolt if necessary.

"I'm with the school newspaper, my name's Gin," the student explained with a disarming smile. "Mind if I join you?"

Still on alert, but allowing himself to calm down a little, Tsukune nodded slowly. "Be my guest."

"Thanks," Gin replied as he eased down across from the cautious human. "You're in the cross country club, right?"

"That's right," Tsukune acknowledged, wondering what this was about.

"Heard from Ichiro you're pretty good, even in human form."

"I just do my best," he replied humbly. "Ichiro makes too much of it."

"He figured you'd say that," Gin remarked wryly. "But I digress. I've got a proposition for you, have you ever heard of the school newspaper?"

"Yes… Isn't Ms. Nekonome the advisor, or something?"

"Oh yeah, she's your home room teacher." When Tsukune simply nodded, Gin continued. "How would you like to join the newspaper club?"

"Why me?"

"From what I've heard about you, I think you'd bring a unique perspective…"

Tsukune thought back to the hostility between Ms. Nekonome and that Enforcer that had rescued him from Kurumu. The possibility of getting caught up in that wasn't that appealing, even if he'd been able to defend himself, and he didn't feel like putting his teacher at risk possibly covering for him. "I… I appreciate the offer, really, but I'd rather just stick to running."

"We really could use someone like you," Gin pressed.

"Thanks, but I'll pass. Sorry."

Gin shrugged. "If you ever change your mind, just tell Ms. Nekonome." The young man stood up and left Tsukune to his breakfast.

The human felt his shoulders slump in relief, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. At least not every student here was planning to kill him when his guard was down. Tsukune pursed his lips as his stomach churned a little; even after he'd eaten, the stress of constantly watching for threats was playing hell with his digestion, and he figured he'd produced enough stomach acid since he'd arrived to dissolve Tokyo Tower. 'Ulcers, lack of sleep, injuries, stress… Even if no one tries to kill me, I don't know how I'm going to survive…'

Finishing his meal and setting the tray in the collection rack, Tsukune made his way towards school, trying to both walk normally and protect his re-cracked ribs from hurting too much. He'd finished off his first bottle of painkillers that morning and opened a new one, wondering how long this one would last. Even with four of the white pills in his system, every step, every breath sent a grinding ache through him that threatened to break through the compartmentalization he'd tried to build up to protect himself. Tsukune longed to be able to take a few days off and hole up in his room, give his tortured body even a short time to regain its strength, but if he did that the day after a fight, others might (correctly) think that he was approaching his limits.

Making a mental note to steal a book on meditation, hoping that it had something to help with pain management, Tsukune reached the school. But instead of heading directly to his class, he took a minor detour, pausing near a door in the main hallway labelled simply: Infirmary. Tsukune felt his grip tighten on his school bag, staring almost longingly at the red cross on the frosted glass window, wishing he could stroll in and get some stronger painkillers. OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Morphine… The names of full strength analgesics danced through his head, promising relief from his almost constant agony. He longed to walk in and beg for some help with his pain.

But no sane physician would just hand out medicine like that to someone who asked without some kind of examination, and if his humanity was discovered, it was likely his pain would be permanently eliminated. Tsukune also considered the possibility that there were only monster pain killers in there, and who knew what the effect might be on a human? If he didn't find some way to deal with his injuries, and if the pain grew to be too much to bear, he was going to break into the infirmary one night and find out for himself, consequences be damned. Or perhaps there was a drug dealer at the school; Tsukune vowed to keep his ears open to listen to any gossip. If there was a pusher here, he or she might be getting a new client in a little while.

Pushing dangerous, but not unappealing thoughts aside for the moment, Tsukune walked to class, feeling relieved when no one was talking about his latest murder this time. Reminding himself to tighten his chest wrappings the first chance he got, Tsukune made his way to his seat, noticing a few respectful glances shot his way as he passed. Settling into his desk, muffling a pained groan as usual, he opened his bag and took out his books in preparation for class. Tsukune noticed the same long haired girl casting furtive glances his way and when he looked at her, their eyes met briefly.

She smiled at him, gave a quick wave, then dropped her eyes back down to her notes, a noticeable blush coloring her cheeks 'The last girl who acted like she liked me tried to kill me…' Tsukune reminded himself. It wasn't really necessary, his aching body was a constant reminder, and Guno's screams had etched themselves into his memory. Even if the girl turned out to be human herself, there was no way he'd ever drop his guard around anyone else again. Forcing himself to concentrate on the welcome distraction of Ms. Nekonome's class as his teacher walked in, Tsukune tried to force the haze of pain away.

XXX

Tsukune clenched his fists tightly, the fingernails digging into his palm, using the focused pain to force himself to ignore a wider one. The cross country club was running again, this time extending the distance to six miles, and he'd felt every excruciating foot of it. The taped ribs and the pre-emptive dose of painkillers were making things almost bearable, but every stride he took made his still hurting ribs rattle together, unneeded reminders of his latest trauma.

He could have gone to Ichiro and asked to skip this run, the club president couldn't stop praising him for never once breaking human form, but Tsukune believed that if he stopped he'd never be able to force himself to start again. Besides, the rush of blood the exercise brought would help him heal faster, and the running helped him produce endorphins to deaden the pain. That's what he kept telling himself anyway, after wave upon wave of pain washed over him, as the finish line finally came into view. As usual Tsukune was in front of the pack in the final stretch; he couldn't believe that he could outrun a group of monsters over a long distance. But even as strong as everyone else was in their human form, while moving things from the phys-ed storage room, Ichiro had casually moved a vaulting horse that had to be over 300 lbs, at anything over a brief dash they tended to struggle.

Granted, he'd only outrun their true forms once, and that had taken everything he could muster, but it gave Tsukune a small glimmer of hope, and he'd take as many of those as he could get. As he approached the welcome sight of the finish line, Tsukune caught sight of Ichiro making a last effort to pass him. Pushing down the pain, and forcing himself on, Tsukune picked up his pace more, beating Ichiro to the tape by a couple of strides, before slowing down and bending at the waist to try to catch his breath.

"Damn," Ichiro grumbled, panting to get his own wind back. "I thought I'd be able to catch you this time…"

"Sorry to disappoint you," Tsukune replied with a grim chuckle, gasping for air.

Ichiro returned the chuckle. "Nothing to be sorry for. Didn't I tell you you'd learn to like running?"

'Like' was too strong a word in Tsukune's book, but he agreed with the sentiment. "Never imagined it'd be so useful," he admitted honestly.

Ichiro gave Tsukune a friendly hit on his shoulder. "Good run, as always. See you next time…"

"Yeah," Tsukune rasped, hoping he'd be able to move his arm again later. "Seeya…" Gripping his aching shoulder in his right hand and walking back towards the dorm, Tsukune opened and closed his left hand to try to make the numbness pass. When he reached the entrance it felt almost normal again, and he absently wiped his sweat onto the sleeve of his t-shirt. The pain from his ribs had become like part of the background now, always there, but not really noticed in passing. As he reached his room he thought longingly of a hot shower, a couple more painkillers, dinner, and whatever passed for a nights sleep for him.

"Tsukune Aono."

He idly looked over where he had heard his name and very nearly jumped out of his skin in fright. A woman with long violet hair and matching eyes was behind him in the hallway. But what Tsukune had noticed first was the black short sleeved jacket and skirt, and the yellow armband that declared her a member of the School Protection Committee. 'ENFORCER!' his mind screamed in a panic, an urge to barricade himself in his room was almost irresistible.

But he remembered how effortlessly this woman had taken care of Kurumu, and he'd be no match against her one on one. Just managing to keep the nervous hitch from his voice, Tsukune managed to force out, "Yes…?"

"I'm from the School Protection Committee," she told him unnecessarily. "There's a matter I need to discuss with you. Is this a good time?" Her tone made it clear that had been a rhetorical question.

"It's fine," Tsukune murmured. "Should I go with you?"

"Not at all," the spiderwoman replied with tooth rotting sweetness. "Your room will be fine, this won't take long."

"C-come on in…" Opening his door, his nervous fingers fumbling with the lock. Tsukune had to move aside when the Enforcer brazenly marched into his room. She stood in the center of the room, arms crossed and waiting impatiently as her reluctant host closed the door. Tsukune briefly flicked his eyes over to the closet; he'd purchased two aerosols of insecticide after he'd seen his guest, even though he had no idea if it would be toxic to her. Even if it turned out she could guzzle it, he'd chosen one that was also flammable, just to be safe.

But the aerosols were in his closet, out of sight and reach, just like all of his improvised weapons. When the Enforcer sat in the chair at his desk, she unknowingly cut him off from more of his supplies. Tsukune kept a hairspray and lighter under his pillow, but he didn't think he could reach it in time. And on another level, while the Enforcer was frightening, she was also the closest thing that Youkai Academy seemed to have to an organized authority, and taking action against her might be the local equivalent of killing a cop. Sweating from more than exertion now, Tsukune sat on the bed, keeping a wary eye on his uninvited guest.

"You may be able to guess why I'm here…" Keito began, leaning back in Tsukune's chair, casually letting him know who was in charge.

Mentally playing back images of the two murders he'd committed, Tsukune nodded solemnly. They had been trying to kill him, so maybe he'd be able to plead a case of self-defence.

"Why were you talking with Ginrei Morioka?"

Tsukune blinked. "I'm sorry, who…?"

"Ginrei Morioka," the Enforcer repeated brusquely, taking a more disciplined position as she moved forward.

This was certainly an odd way to interrogate someone. "Listen, um, I never got your name…"

"Keito."

"Keito, I don't even know a Ginrei Morioka…"

The spiderwoman's eyes narrowed. "You were seen talking with him at breakfast."

"Oh, you mean Gin? That's what he called himself."

"So, you did talk with him?" Keito asked, radiating suspicion.

Tsukune wouldn't have called it much of a talk, but the Student Protection Committee apparently felt otherwise. And from Keito's behaviour, it seemed less to him that she was interested in what happened, but more if he would confirm what she already knew. "He asked me about my running a little," Tsukune admitted.

"Anything else?"

Shrugging, Tsukune decided to be completely honest. "He also asked if I wanted to join the newspaper club."

"Really…" Keito had a tranquil calm about her that made the hairs on the back of Tsukune's neck stand up.

"I-I turned him down," Tsukune added hastily, not liking the vibe he was getting. "I just want to keep running, that's all."

Keito smiled thinly, causing Tsukune's eyes to momentarily flick over to the pillow his makeshift torch was under. "That was very sensible of you." She nodded to herself, as if mentally checking something off, then stood up. "Thank you for your honesty and good judgement, we're done here."

"T-that's all?" Tsukune blurted out before he could stop himself.

Keito gave him an uncomprehending look. "What else would there be?"

'How about the fact I killed two students!' Tsukune wanted to scream at the indifferent Enforcer, but his survival instincts suppressed that urge. His guilt over what he'd done wanted him to answer for it, but his self-preservation motivations were stronger. "Never mind, it's nothing," he murmured after a long silence.

Walking towards the door, Keito paused as she reached for the doorknob. "Actually, there is one other thing…" she added as she turned around, opening the front panel of her jacket. Tsukune was scrambling up on his bed, lunging for the aerosol and lighter, but the Enforcer simply pulled out a folder, not allowing her spider legs to spring free. "Is something wrong?"

Tsukune was sprawled on top of his bed, feeling rather foolish at the moment. "S-sorry, leg cramp…" he croaked out.

Keito opened the slim file. "There are a few gaps in your student records," she explained coolly. "Your name, age, grades, that's all there, but it's missing a few other things."

"L-like what…?"

"Family information, home address, and a few choice details about you," Keito remarked, flipping lazily through the documents.

Tsukune chucked nervously. "Didn't know that, my-my mom filled out the forms, not me."

"It's not a major concern," Keito continued. "But we in the Student Protection Committee don't like omissions on official records. There's a note from the headmaster saying it's all taken care of, but I'd be happier with some confirmation."

"What kind?"

"Do you have a friend attending here who could vouch for you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Tsukune shook his head. "I-I don't know anyone here."

Keito clicked her tongue. "Maybe a girlfriend here, or back home? Someone who could tell us about you?"

"I'm single," Tsukune squeaked. "N-no girlfriend."

"How… lonely," Keito mused. Shrugging, she tucked the folder back under her jacket. "Thank you for your time, and cooperation."

"No problem…"

"Oh, yes. Kuyo, the head of the School Protection Committee, commends you on your dedication to following the rules."

"I-I try," Tsukune croaked, wishing he could wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Keep up the good work." Keito sauntered out of his room, leaving the door open behind her.

For a few seconds Tsukune stayed stock still, amazed at still being alive. Then he lurched over to his door, his legs nearly buckling even from the short trip, slamming bodily against it, closing and locking it. Managing to erect his barricade, the shaking human collapsed to the floor in fear and relief. Tsukune hadn't been this frightened in all his time at Youkai Academy, and he couldn't believe he'd escaped intact.

He wanted to laugh in giddy relief at having avoided punishment yet again, but he felt guilt over being relieved and grateful that nothing had happened. Tsukune suspected that deep down he wanted to face the consequences of his actions, even if they were fatal, and twice getting away with murder troubled him. After letting himself indulge in a few minutes of trembling and fear, Tsukune forced himself to get to his feet and get cleaned up. But the memory of how vulnerable he had felt a few minutes earlier made him move some of his aerosols so that he'd always have at least one in reach at all times from now on.

After a shower to sluice away the sweat and fear, Tsukune wrapped his aching ribs back up, noticing that they weren't quite as bad as they had been the night before, and hoping that he'd be able to avoid any more trouble for a few weeks, giving them a chance to heal up some. Purposely taking one less pill than he wanted, and getting dressed for dinner, Tsukune went to eat, before coming back and reviewing his homework. Afterwards he studied the monster encyclopedias again, and trying not to think about what would happen if Keito decided to look into his past. Tsukune paid special attention to the spiderwoman entry as he slowly drew his knife over the whetstone.

XXX

The end of the week arrived without further incident, and Tsukune allowed himself to feel a small measure of relief. Not only had he not been forced to defend himself, the request forms for the bid to apply for permission to transfer had finally been given to him. His joy had been tempered when he'd discovered that the documents had to have been responsible for an entire forest being cut down; he'd never seen such a long form in his life, and only his desire to get away kept him from feeling despair. After what felt like an entire night he'd filled them in and given them to the secretary, who'd told him the application might take even longer. But knowing that he'd started on the way out had been enough to boost his spirits, and he'd promised himself a day or two off in celebration.

Granted, it wasn't as if his weekends were busy, but Tsukune usually spent the time reviewing textbooks and other reference books, running, and trying to keep out of trouble. But this weekend there was a staff meeting, which meant no Saturday class, so he'd spend all of it resting up, letting his body heal, and getting his strength back. As he chewed his food slowly, his eyes fell upon the young looking girl he'd seen around the school occasionally. At first he'd thought she'd just chosen a juvenile looking witch disguise, before learning that she was actually a witch, and apparently the school prodigy, taking classes far over her age level.

But Yukari Sendo, he'd learned her name from overhearing chatter, looked awful. He left arm was in a cast, and she had a vicious looking bruise covering half her face. She was supposedly some kind of trickster, but she'd obviously pissed someone off who didn't have much of a sense of humor. Tsukune felt awful about what had happened, but he was too busy keeping his own self intact to be worrying about saving someone else too. 'I hope whoever did that got it out of their system,' he mused, silently wishing the girl good luck. He returned his attentions to his textbooks, planning to not look at them for the rest of the weekend. Taking a sip of water, Tsukune reminded himself he was supposed to call his parents that evening, then spend the rest of the time recuperating from his latest batch of injuries.

"Hello Tsukune."

Tsukune nearly choked on his water when Keito appeared in front of him; her perpetual sleepy looking eyes made her look almost peaceful, but he'd remembered what was underneath that. Gasping to catch his breath, feeling himself getting tense as he eyed the satchel within easy reach, he managed to croak out, "Y-yes…?"

Keito sat down across from him, without bothering to ask permission, and gave Tsukune a cool look. "Relax, I'm just here to clear up a few loose ends."

"What do you want?" Tsukune asked guardedly. At least she wasn't wearing her Enforcer's uniform this time; in the normal school uniform she looked a lot like the average student she was masquerading as.

"We still haven't cleared up those discrepancies in your file, but the headmaster has assured us that's no reason for concern," Keito explained briskly. "I just have a few questions about you. First, you don't have any texts next week you need to study for, correct?"

"Yes, but-"

"You usually run Saturday afternoon, and spend the evening alone, right?"

"Yeah. What's this-"

"You also said you don't have a girlfriend here or at home?" Keito continued before he could answer.

Tsukune had no completely lost sight of where this could be going. "What are you-"

"You were staring at Kurumu's chest, even when she tried killing you, so you're not gay."

Knowing his was blushing, and hating himself for it, Tsukune finally managed to get a complete sentence in. "Just what are you DOING…?"

"I'm simply showing why there's no reason for you and I not to go out tomorrow." Keito used the same tone of voice she'd have used if asking for the time.

For a few seconds Tsukune's mouth opened and closed without any sound coming out. Even learning the truth about Youkai Academy hadn't short circuited his thinking this much. When he finally got past the shock and surprise Tsukune managed to force out, "You're kidding…"

"I never kid."

"I can't," Tsukune replied.

"I already pointed out why there's no reason why you can't, remember?"

"Suppose I don't want to?"

Keito cocked her head a little. "Why wouldn't you want to go on a date?" she asked sincerely.

'You're a full-on, homicidal, double-nut fruitcake spiderwoman, with mandibles the size of butcher knives,' he thought to himself. "I-I'm probably not your type…"

"You follow school rules without exception, your grades are improving, and you excel in your club activities," Keito explained. "That's suitable."

"I'm just suitable?" Despite the situation, Tsukune actually felt a little insulted.

"We work with what we have," Keito replied dismissively. She handed Tsukune a small note. "That's my room number. You'll pick me up tomorrow at six o'clock."

Tsukune wanted to crumple the paper and throw it back at her, but remembering Keito's position at Youkai Academy killed that impulse. "I don't think so," he muttered.

Keito gave him a blank look that still managed to send tremors up Tsukune's spine. "You will." She then stood up and walked away, leaving a shaken human behind her.

Tsukune stayed motionless for a few moments, trying to comprehend just what had happened. He shook his head in disbelief, attempting to come to terms with the notion that a member of the Student Protective Committee, who starred in more than a few of his nightmares, had effectively press-ganged him into going out with her. 'What the hell…?' If she had the slightest inkling of what he really was, she'd kill him without thinking about it, and yet she'd all but menaced him into a date. It briefly passed through his mind that maybe she did know, and she just found it more amusing to trap him. Glancing over at another table Tsukune saw a few students giving him sympathetic looks, but a few that obviously were, 'better you than me.'

Picking up his tray, his appetite having suddenly run for the hills, Tsukune walked to his room, trying to keep from scowling as he made his way through the hallways. Relatively safe in his room, Tsukune lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling, wondering why the universe had decided that he was going to be the punchline in a cosmic joke. When he considered the mood he was in, calling his parents that night would be a mistake, so he decided to put it off for a few days. "Assuming I even survive," he muttered out loud.

The part of Tsukune's mind that worked to keep him alive began to consider what the best thing to do in this case was. While he'd read up on spiderwomen, there wasn't much that he could use in a battle aside from what he already tried. Tossing a bug-bomb into her room while she slept was a possible tactic, but he had no idea if it would even work, and more to the point, she hadn't made any threatening moves yet. A pre-emptive strike on a member of the Student Protection Committee might bring the rest of them on top of him.

As he pondered what he could do, another strategy occurred to Tsukune. Keito had even told him that he wasn't much of a catch, so why not become even less of one? If he went out of his way to be uninteresting, then she'd probably drop him and try to pick up a monster she'd enjoy spending time with. Of course, if he went too far and angered her, Keito might attack him, but at least then he'd have reason to defend himself, and if she was close enough maybe he'd be able to incinerate her.

Deciding on that course of action, yet feeling disturbed that he was actually planning the best way to kill someone, Tsukune got ready for bed. After washing up and brushing his teeth, rewrapping his ribs and swallowing his nightly dose of painkillers to help his sleep, Tsukune crawled into bed, the lights in his room still on, as usual. When sleep did come, his dreams were again filled with images of him tangled in a web, while a monstrous spider crawled ever closer.

XXX

Late that Saturday afternoon Tsukune laid on his bed, flipping through his latest acquisition, a book on meditation techniques he'd liberated from the school library after lunch. He found it fascinating, the possibility that he'd be able to manage the pain he dealt with on a daily basis, without going through pills like they were peppermints. Considering how little they seemed to work for him now, they might as well have been peppermints. Keeping his ribs wrapped up helped more, and he was hopeful that he'd be able to take the bandages off in about two weeks.

He glanced at the clock. It was ten minutes before six. If he jumped up and hurried, Tsukune could make it to Keito's room with about a minute or two to spare for their 'date.' Licking his index finger, Tsukune turned the page and continued to read, trying to absorb as much knowledge from the book as he could. When he looked at the clock again it was twenty after six. But the book was getting to a really key point about managing pain, so he kept reading. The chapter was so engrossing to him that by the time he glanced up to check the time, it was five to seven.

With reluctance, Tsukune folded over the corner of the page he was on and slipped the book into his night table, slowly getting up and stretching, hissing when his ribs protested the movement. Glancing at his reflection, he debated whether or not to comb his hair before deciding to just leave it as it was. Slipping his recently sharpened knife, a lighter, and a small spray can into his jacket, Tsukune moved his desk aside and left his room, slowly moving through the hallway, pausing to read some of the new notices on the bulletin board. There was nothing that concerned him so he exited the dormitory and strolled over to Keito's building, taking his time and enjoying what passed for a nice day at Youkai Academy. When he finally reached her room, the clock on the wall said it was ten after seven, and he knocked on the door, taking a step back, just in case she came out angry.

"Is that you Tsukune?" Keito's voice called out from behind the door.

"Yeah." He was a little surprised she'd even responded. Being late for a date was supposed to be a deal breaker.

"Come in, it's unlocked."

Taking a deep breath, and readying himself if she decided to exact some revenge in private, Tsukune carefully walked in. He hadn't known what to expect, a darkened room with corpses wrapped in webbing had come to mind, but Keito's room was as ordinary as his own.

"Perfect timing Tsukune," Keito's voice came out from a partially closed bathroom.

"Excuse me…?" Tsukune knew he was well over an hour late. The only reason he'd come at all was to keep her from trying to track him down.

"It took me longer to get ready than I thought," she explained. "Just five more minutes."

"…okay…" Tsukune rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'Figures it wouldn't be that easy.' So much for his hope of the date crashing and burning out of the gate. Fortunately, he's had other plans as well…

Keito walked out of the bathroom about five minutes later, wearing her normal school uniform, and looking pretty much the same way she'd looked the day before. "I sometimes take too long getting ready," she admitted.

"You look okay," Tsukune remarked off-handedly. If being late wasn't enough to cool her ardour, perhaps indifference would work.

Keito actually smiled thinly, surprising the human. "Thank you," she replied with more sincerity than she'd ever shown before.

Tsukune gave her a curious look. "What for?"

"Too many guys go overboard, saying I'm a vision of loveliness, a goddess, or other crap like that," she told him. "I'm impressed with your honesty."

"You don't say…"

"I appreciate honesty," she replied sardonically. "Without truth, there's no order. I value integrity."

Tsukune wanted to beat his head against a wall. Honesty? He'd been living a lie since he'd arrived, he'd had no choice in the matter. It dawned on him that if he was completely truthful with Keito about himself, he'd be a dead man. The date hadn't gotten off to a very good start in Tsukune's view; his attempts to drive Keito away in disgust had actually worked out for the better. He gestured for her to follow him with an abrupt jerk of his head, and was dismayed when she fell into step beside him after he unceremoniously walked out of the room. Tsukune made a point of all but ignoring her, not holding doors open, or making small talk, and he even let his eyes obvious follow attractive women when they passed them.

But Keito walked beside him without even once reacting to his many obvious transgressions. She was either oblivious as a blind man, or she simply didn't give a damn, and Tsukune was quite certain she wasn't oblivious. Still, there was one last card left to play, and he was pretty sure that it would be the deal breaker he'd hoped.

Almost as if reading his thoughts, Keito spoke up for the first time since they'd left her room. "So Tsukune, what have you planned?"

Tsukune smiled grimly, first making sure that Keito couldn't see his face. "I figured we'd catch a few movies."

"What movies?"

Congratulating himself for reading and remembering the small notice on the bulletin board earlier this week, Tsukune told her. "The film studies club is having a special showing, a pair of German existentialist films, in the original language, with subtitles." One of Tsukune's older classmates had once sneaked a DVD with a German title out of his father's collection, mistaking it for foreign porn. He called it the worst thing he'd ever seen, with a plot that made no sense, and actors doing stupid things. He'd only finished it due to some kind of horrified fascination, like slowing down to look at a train wreck.

Everyone had had a good laugh at the poor guy's expense, but Tsukune was counting on the films having the same effect on Keito. "I hate when they dub them, they never get the meanings of the original language." He paused when he realised that Keito had stopped walking and he head was bowed, much like Guno had been before he'd been attacked. "Keito…?"

"Tsukune…"

"Yes…?" Tsukune clenched and released his fists nervously, idly recalling that there was a staircase only a stride or two away.

"Do you mean to tell me…" Keito murmured softly. "That your idea of a date, is to take me to a pair of German existentialist films…?"

"Um, yeah…" Now he was getting even more concerned. He'd planned the entire date to be unpleasant, but maybe he'd gone too far.

"The truth?"

Tsukune swallowed nervously and made a noise that sounded vaguely affirmative. If he had to, maybe he could pass it off as a joke to keep the Enforcer from getting violent. Keito then suddenly lifted her head, and Tsukune took an involuntary step back.

Not in fear, surprise.

Keito, who even when she was smiling still conveyed an air of menace, had an excited smile on her face like a child on Christmas morning that had found a pony under the tree. "I just LOVE German existentialist films!" she practically squealed, her hands clasped together in front of her. "How did you KNOW…?"

"L-lucky guess," Tsukune croaked.

"I've been wanting to go see these film for days," she declared. "I'd figured I'd have to go see them alone, even though that's just pathetic."

Tsukune winced, feeling a piece of his soul wither. He'd seen more than a few movies all alone, and now even a spiderwoman was unknowingly calling him out on it. "Pathetic…" he agreed with a pained grin.

"What time do they start?"

"Seven thirty," Tsukune replied weakly.

"We have to hurry," Keito told him as she grabbed his right hand. It felt like it had been caught in a vice. Tsukune was barely able to contain his scream when his date broke into a dead run, very nearly dislocating his shoulder. Somehow managing to keep himself on his feet, Tsukune struggled to keep up, running faster than he usually did in cross country club.

Tsukune's only consolation was that Keito didn't use her monster form to run along the walls or ceiling.

After a mad dash that had Tsukune struggling to maintain his composure and suppress the pain his ribs had taken from the jolt, the pair arrived at the film club room. The student acting as an usher seemed surprised to see them, but gestured for them to walk in, telling them to sit where they liked. There was a large TV and DVD player set up in front of the room, with several rows of chairs arranged in front. Tsukune was struck by the fact that despite the time being one minute to show time, all the chairs but one were empty.

"Where would you like to sit?" Keito asked.

"You decide," Tsukune gasped, still not quite done catching his breath.

Keito took a seat in the center, and Tsukune reluctantly sat next to her. When the lights went down he stifled a frustrated sigh; nothing he'd planned had worked, and now he had to spend several hours in the dark with someone who regularly haunted his nightmares. As the opening credits appeared, he realized he'd also have no choice but to endure the movies as well.

He honestly couldn't decide which was worse.

XXX

"The camera work was amazing!" Keito raved as the two of them made their way back to her room. "The use of black and white to show depression, and the circus with the crying clown showing misery, it was a masterpiece! And when the triplets wearing party hats each had miscarriages…"

Tsukune just nodded occasionally, having no idea what either film was about. Even with subtitles, it might as well have been in ancient Greek. The first film had been a long stream of one confusing image after another, vague notions going right over his head and making it hard for him to stay awake. These had been punctuated by brief periods of sheer terror when Keito occasionally grabbed his arm in what she probably thought was affectionate, but to Tsukune felt like his arm was being crushed. Discretely biting his thumb of his free hand to keep from screaming, he couldn't even ask her to loosen up. As far as he knew, Keito might have had a girly grip by monster standards, even though she cut off the circulation in his arm, Tsukune having to work his fist after she let go to get rid of the pins and needles.

The movie had been long, excruciating, and just when he began to think that they were still filming and beaming more footage into the TV, the ending credits finally rolled. Tsukune felt a tear of utter joy roll down his cheek, looking at his watch and being astonished that less than ninety minutes had passed.

And then the second feature had started…

Less than two hours later Tsukune and his date were walking into Keito's dorm, one of them glad to still be alive, the other still gushing over the films. From her excited state, Tsukune had a sudden, nightmarish though that she might be gushing in some other way, but he'd experienced enough mental trauma already, so he shook off that thought.

"-you think was the best part?" Keito's question interrupted his train of thought.

"I-I'm sorry…?"

"What part did you think was the best?" she repeated.

"I… really couldn't pick a favourite," Tsukune admitted, making Keito nod knowingly. "Isn't this your room?" he asked, wanting to change the subject and put the entire night behind him.

"It is," she acknowledged. "You better get back before curfew."

"Yeah, don't wanna break any rules," Tsukune agreed, hoping to get away cleanly, and not giving any unintended hints he wanted to take things further. He almost sighed in relief when she opened her door and went in, giving him no sign of an invitation to follow.

"I had a wonderful time Tsukune," she told him as she closed her door. "Next Saturday, I'll pick you up at six."

"Goodnig- Hey! Wait!" Tsukune found himself talking to her door as she closed it and locked with a click. For a few seconds he couldn't even think clearly, before he turned around and nearly snarled in frustration as he began his trip home. He was silently fuming as he walked across the campus towards his own dorm, furious at the way things had worked out, and annoyed at himself for not showing a little more spine. But he tempered that with the realization that there wasn't much he could do about it, without actually getting violent, and he didn't want to make an enemy of the Enforcers.

Back in his room, door locked and barricaded, Tsukune stripped of his shirt, scowling when he saw the bruises on his upper left arm. He took some solace that at least they hadn't been put there out of malice –he hoped- but it was another minor injury that would further tax his ability to recover. Tsukune had been trying to think of another way to escape the spiderwoman's attention; being a borderline jerk hadn't seemed to work, and she'd unexpectedly loved what he'd hoped would drive her away. As unpleasant as it seemed, staying with her until she found someone else to amuse her was probably the best bet.

His only other hope was that she'd tire of him before she decided to get physical, a prospect that had Tsukune shuddering.

Resigning himself to seeing more of Keito than he was comfortable with –if he never saw her again, it would still be too soon- Tsukune got ready for bed. During the night the nightmares returned as normal, the Enforcer woman once again taking a starring role.

End of Chapter 4

Author's Notes:

None, except this was pre-read by random1377 and Mereo Flere. As usual, all mistakes are mine, not theirs…


	5. Under Pressure

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Rosario + Vampire:

He Who Fights Monsters…

Chapter Five: Under Pressure

Written by: Hawker_748

Tsukune leaned against the wall, the receiver of the payphone cradled against his head, listening as it rang on the other side. After the 'date' with Keito the night before, he'd been so flustered, and worried so much more than normal that he'd maybe slept three hours in total. And that brief sleep had been haunted by a giant spider approaching him while he was cocooned in its web. The fact that it was cooing rather seductively –in German- only made things worse.

He'd spent most of the day in his room, coming out just for meals, and dozing the rest of the time, using the inactivity to heal up a little. Tsukune did feel a little better by Sunday afternoon, so he decided to give his family a call. He was two days overdue; he'd always called on Friday without fail, but he hoped his parents wouldn't be too worried. As he heard the phone get picked up, he let out a breath and forced himself to sound a little more upbeat than he felt.

"Hello?" his mother called out from the distance.

"Hi mom, it's me."

"Tsukune, how are you? Is something wrong?"

In spite of the concern he heard in her voice, Tsukune smiled. It was nice to be able to talk with his family. "No, there's nothing wrong, I'm fine," he assured her. "There's nothing wrong here." 'Any more than usual,' he added silently.

"When you didn't call, we started to worry," Kasumi Aono told her son.

"I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean to worry you. Just… something unexpected happened." 'There's the understatement of the century…'

"Was it something bad?"

Tsukune grimaced. 'How should I put that?' he wondered. "Normally, it's not a bad thing…"

For all his lies, half-truths, and omissions, the woman on the other end of the line was still Tsukune's mother, and she knew her son better than he thought she did. After a brief silence she asked, "Is this about a girl?"

Tsukune's stammered denials must have made him sound brain damaged. He was glad that no one was there to witness the open shock and disbelief on his face. "H-how did you know?" he managed to finally squeak out.

"A mother knows these things," she explained confidently. "Tell me more about her."

"I-I really don't think I should," Tsukune responded. 'You have no idea, mom…'

"Is she pretty?"

Tsukune stopped to consider that. If you didn't know what she really was, Keito was rather attractive. "Pretty on the outside, yes."

Somehow his mother managed to frown over the phone. "You should worry more about what's inside," she scolded.

"Oh, I _am_ worried about what's inside," Tsukune agreed instantly. "Believe me."

"What's so bad about her?"

There was almost no way he could answer that without sounding insane. "She's… a little clingy."

"Clingy…?"

"Clingy."

"Is that all?" Kasumi Aono wondered.

"Her… tastes… are different that mine," Tsukune added. "Her beliefs too. I really don't think I'm her type."

"Then why did you ask her out?"

"I didn't ask her," Tsukune retorted back, with more force than he intended. "She menaced me into a date."

"You mean she asked you out?"

"Like I said, she didn't 'ask,' she-"

"How wonderful," his mother interrupted him. "She's one of those new assertive women, I like that."

Tsukune wanted to beat his head against a wall until the universe made sense. Or until he passed out. He wasn't feeling too choosy. "We're really not right for each other," he muttered darkly, feeling a headache coming on.

His mother lowered her voice, almost conspiratorially. "She isn't an airhead, is she?"

"Not at all," Tsukune allowed.

"What do other people think of her?"

'They're scared to death…' "I'd say everyone respects her."

"It's only been one date, right?"

"Yes, thank God…"

"You should give her more time," his mom insisted. "She sounds like a special girl."

"Well, she's not like any girl I've met," Tsukune agreed.

"Give the poor girl a chance to grow on you. Take her out next weekend."

"She's picking me up on Saturday," Tsukune informed his mom. "I'll tell you about it Sunday. Assuming I survive."

His mother either didn't notice, or just ignored, the bitterness in his voice. "Can I count on you to act respectfully?"

Tsukune shuddered. "That won't be a problem," he promised, his head starting to spin. "Is dad around?"

"He's out with the boys."

"Tell him I said hi. I'll have to go now, long line-up, I'll talk to you next week. Bye." Tsukune replaced the receiver with a click, slumping against the wall. Great. Now he had to worry about disappointing his mother in addition to avoiding becoming spider chow. He wanted to find a deep dark hole to crawl into and cry, but he couldn't afford to let that weakness show. Taking a deep breath to calm himself and set his shoulders, Tsukune slipped his mask back into place and walked to the cafeteria, not really that hungry, but knowing he needed to eat to keep his strength up.

Filling his tray and taking an empty table, Tsukune ate slowly, cautiously keeping his eyes open for anyone who looked like trouble. Considering all the attention he'd gotten while eating, he was toying with taking all his meals in his room, all the better to avoid having to deal with anyone. But since it was strictly forbidden to take plates or cutlery out of the cafeteria, he didn't want to do anything that might draw unwanted attention.

"Are you him?"

Case in point. Tsukune wished he could just rub the bridge of his nose and sigh, but at Youkai Academy anything could lead to a fight, so he had to keep his eyes open and his senses on alert. "Who's him?" Tsukune replied, carefully watching the rather seamy looking student who was glaring at him. Judging by his appearances, at any other school Tsukune would have pegged him for an otaku; a little overweight, greasy looking hair, and he seemed to be sweating like he was in a sauna.

"The one who stole her," the doughy looking student hissed.

"Who's her?" Tsukune had discretely pulled a lighter and was covertly reaching for an aerosol.

"The delicate beauty of Youkai Academy," the guy told him, an adoring tone in his voice. "The precious rose growing from this compost heap."

Tsukune felt himself getting tense; this could get unpleasant. "Listen, I don't know what you heard, but I didn't do anything to Kurumu," he explained carefully. "She was taken-"

"Not that top heavy bimbo!" the man snarled. "You stole Keito!"

Tsukune blinked. Twice. "Keito? But you said the delica-"

"Shut up!" The student slammed a meaty fist onto the table, jostling Tsukune's food, and drawing every eye in the cafeteria.

The human was on his feet, the lighter flicked on and the spray can in his hand. Only the fact that the latest person who'd interrupted one of his meals hadn't done anything overtly threatening kept Tsukune from trying to light him up. Silence reigned supreme as half the student body watched the standoff in a hushed quiet. "Listen, I'm really sorry about that, really…" If he couldn't calm the guy down, he'd have to try to take him out, and for all he knew his flamethrower might not even irritate him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw other students watching from the exit, and blocking it in the process. 'Nowhere to run…'

"What does she see in you?"

Tsukune gave a humourless bark of a laugh. "Damned if I know."

"What if I take her from you?" the portly student sneered.

'Be my guest,' was Tsukune's first thought. 'Good luck to you two, Mazel Tov, send me pictures of the egg sac.' Just knowing that saying what he thought would come back to bite him, Tsukune chose his words carefully. "That's up to her."

The monster finally appeared to notice all the attention he was attracting, and he looked rather uneasy. "This isn't over," the student told him in a quieter voice. "I will make Keito mine." Without another word he turned away and slunk out of the cafeteria, leaving a relieved human behind him.

'Hope you're right.' Not wanting to show just how glad he was things hadn't blown up, Tsukune blew out the lighter and slipped it and the aerosol into his pocket. Sitting down as if this was a common occurrence, which was closer to the truth than he liked, Tsukune calmly finished his meal and slipped his tray into the collection rack and walked back to his dorm. He spent every second scanning his surroundings, half expecting his romantic rival, (and that thought made him snort in disgust) to jump him on his way home. But he reached his room without incident and finally let out the sigh of relief when he was safe behind his locked door.

Stripping down to his skivvies, Tsukune was pleased to note that his ribs felt better than they had in a while, and he might be able to take the wrappings off in a week. But when he caught a look at himself in the mirror he frowned. While the running had tightened and strengthened his legs, his arms were still close to being toothpicks. 'Might not hurt to bulk up a bit,' he decided. However, he couldn't use the weight room, since everyone else was casually tossing around weight he couldn't even budge.

It did leave him one option; Tsukune had never liked calisthenics in Phys Ed, but here the stakes were far higher. Dropping down to the floor, Tsukune began doing push-ups, feeling worried when his arms started to shake before he'd even reached twenty. But drawing on his reserves, he forced himself to do a hundred of them, then keep going until he could barely drag himself into bed. He fell asleep quickly, but he slept no better than he had on any night since his arrival.

XXX

Tsukune sat at his desk reviewing his notes, trying to ignore the idle chatter in the classroom. Ms. Nekonome had given them a free study period and he was using it wisely. There was a run later, and he'd lose the chance to study later to try to keep his grades up. Today hadn't been bad for a Monday; he'd been left in peace during breakfast and lunch, and there'd been no fights he was aware of. And since this was the last class of the day, Tsukune found himself faintly hoping that things would stay settled down.

"You're pretty ballsy, sniffing up an Enforcer's skirt like that," an arrogant voice cut into his concentration.

So much for faint hopes.

Tsukune looked up slowly. If he'd been granted the power to make one monster at Youkai Academy disappear by snapping his fingers, Saizo wouldn't have lasted two days. The monstrel thug seemed to delight in antagonizing everyone, ignoring the rules and regulations, showing up for class rarely, and usually making anti-human cracks that left Tsukune seething in silence. One of his grimmest daydreams involved Saizo and a bazooka. Mentally counting to ten to keep his cool, for all his bluster, Saizo and never done anything threatening, Tsukune replied calmly, refusing to take the bait. "Wasn't my idea, she decided we'd go out."

Saizo sneered down at the human. "So she's got you whipped."

Tsukune shrugged. "She's an Enforcer. Would you have told her no?" The way the monstrel momentarily deflated was surprisingly gratifying.

"She's just a bitch," Saizo continued, acting as if he hadn't briefly faltered. "A real monster would show her her place."

"I'll keep that in mind." Tsukune returned his attention to his books, but covertly kept his eyes on the monstrel. He wasn't surprised when Saizo stomped off, muttering under his breath; for all his bravado, he'd only seemed to assault the weaker students. Tsukune had killed two who'd attacked him. That took him off the 'weak' list, even if his thuggish classmate wouldn't admit it.

Ms. Nekonome walked back into class, nodding in thanks at the class president, and announced that class would be let out a little early. Even though everyone in the class were monsters, (in theory) the reaction was no different than it would have been in a human classroom. Tsukune even felt a hint of a smile on his face, until the teacher gave him a hard look and mentioned she needed to see him after class.

'What did I do?' Tsukune wondered as the rest of the class filed out, a few giving him sympathetic looks as they passed. The look Ms. Nekonome had was unlike her usual demeanour, and even her 'ears' seemed to be flattened down. When the last students trickled out she closed and locked the door, leaving her alone with her student. Tsukune had played a few video games that started out just like this, but he didn't think he was that lucky.

"Is it true?" his teacher asked without preamble.

"Is what true?" he replied, suspecting he already knew.

"You and that… that… Enforcer." She spat the last word as if it was poisonous.

'Had Keito told everyone in the school?' Tsukune speculated. 'Or maybe that show in the cafeteria last night.' "It's not like I had much of a choice."

Ms. Nekonome looked disgusted. "You know what she's like, you saw her work."

"Yeah, and that's why I was too scared to say no," Tsukune insisted. The fact his teacher seemed upset with him was more hurtful than he expected.

Shizuka let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing the bridge of her nose. She pushed her glasses back up and looked at Tsukune carefully. "I can't say you're wrong," she allowed. "If she's threatening you, I could tell the schoolmaster…"

Tsukune shook his head. "Thanks, really, but I think I have to deal with this myself. It can't look good if I ask for help."

"It shouldn't be a problem for me," Ms. Nekonome stated.

"Keito's already got a reason to be angry with you, I don't want her getting more," Tsukune pointed out. "I'd feel bad if you got hurt cuz of me."

"You're worried about me…?" Shizuka looked at him as if he were insane. And a little touched.

Tsukune smiled weakly. Perhaps he was. "She seems to like me for some reason," he murmured. "She'll learn I'm not to her taste," Tsukune stifled a shudder when he had a literal image of that helpfully pop into his mind, "-and find someone who's better."

His teacher gave him a faint smile. "I don't think she could do that…" she replied softly.

"Pardon me?"

"Never mind, just be careful, okay?"

His teacher seemed a little pre-occupied; she couldn't meet his gaze and there was a blush on her cheeks. "Always am," Tsukune reminded her. When she gestured for him to go, the human opened the door and walked out into the hallway, heading for the exit to escape another school day.

XXX

"I heard you had a little excitement at dinner last night, Tsukune."

Tsukune nearly leapt out of his skin when Keito's voice came from behind him. Whirling around he saw her leaning casually outside the door he'd just used, a sardonic smile on her face. "Shouldn't you be in class?" he managed to ask when his heart started again.

Keito ignored the question, pushing herself languidly away from the wall and walking towards him. "I heard you were dismissed early, I felt like talking with you. Was I wrong wanting that?"

Silencing his honest opinion, Tsukune shook his head. "You mind if we walk and talk? I've got cross country today."

"Not at all." Keito fell into step beside him, and Tsukune wondered if she violated the personal space of all the guys she was interested in. Or maybe monsters didn't have such a concept.

"I guess you could call it excitement," Tsukune allowed. "He said I'd stolen the delicate beauty of the school."

Keito snorted derisively and rolled her eyes. "That idiot."

"Who is he?" Tsukune asked, genuinely curious.

Keito tilted her head as she looked at him. "Jealous?"

"Should I be?"

The Enforcer chuckled softly. "His name is Harunobu Kouji, and he's a total lost cause," Keito related. "He's been declaring his love for me all year, and my patience is wearing thin."

"I see." Tsukune let out a short breath. So much for the idea of hooking Keito and her suitor up. "What's so bad about him?"

"You saw him, didn't you? He's weak, spineless, almost never stands up for himself. Not like you." Keito punctuated the last with an affectionate squeeze of his arm.

Tsukune was used to suppressing displays of pain by now, so the latest semi-assault on his arm just required a tightening of his jaw. The two of them continued the walk in an uncomfortable silence, for Tsukune at least, until they reached the steps of his dormitory. "I have to go get changed now," he murmured, relieved that Keito had let him go.

"I thought I'd come in and watch," she remarked. After a brief period of savouring the horrified look on the human's face, Keito smiled. "I'm just teasing," she explained. "This time… See you on Saturday." She turned and left Tsukune behind to contemplate in horror.

Tsukune didn't want to run up the stairs to his room, but his body did it anyway. Safe in his room, his trembling hands stripped off his school uniform and tightened up his chest wraps. He concentrated on the run he would be doing shortly, because the prospect Keito had raised was far too horrifying to consider right now, if Tsukune valued his sanity. Finally changed and ready to head out, his shoelaces had taken far longer to tie than normal, the only human at Youkai Academy left the sanctuary of his room and walked to where the cross country club mustered before their runs.

He was surprised to see Ichiro and some of the other members wearing their school uniform. After acknowledging the greetings, he went to the club president. "Is something wrong?"

Ichiro shook his head. "Nothing like that," he assured him. "Most of us have tests coming up, and I was going to cancel the run, but I decided to let everyone make up their own mind." The werewolf gave him a rueful look. "I was going to tell you after class, but you were already gone."

"Don't worry about it," Tsukune told him. "Does that mean we can't run?"

"Not at all, it's just optional today."

After the past couple of days, Tsukune needed the run to keep from cracking up. "I'll do it."

"I thought you would," Ichiro replied with a proud grin. "Just run for fun today."

'Not likely,' Tsukune thought. "We still on for Thursday?"

"Count on it. Later." The other club members walked away, leaving Tsukune to warm up in private.

After five minutes of stretching and loosening up, Tsukune was ready to face the run. But looking at the path into the woods made him pause; he'd never run in them alone, and who knew what might lurking, waiting to pounce on an isolated human? After a moments consideration, Tsukune decided he'd take another route today. Turning his back on the woods, and swearing he felt something watching him, he began running towards the cliff face, figuring that along there he'd only have to look out on one side.

As he ran he passed other groups of students on their club activities, or just hanging out, slipping by them without drawing any attention. Within a few minutes he was approaching the bus stop where he'd arrived at, seemingly a lifetime ago. He saw the spot where his classmate Moka had damn near run him over with her bike, not even looking back to see if he was okay. Tsukune ran on the small tract of land between the edge of the cliff and the road the bus he'd taken had travelled on. This far from the school there was only the sound of the breakers crashing on the rocks, accompanied by his footfalls and the rhythmic sounds of his breathing.

There were occasional copses of bushes or trees, and an odd boulder here or there, but the scenery was flat for the most part, the sight of waves crashing onto the rocks below to the left drawing his eyes. Tsukune worked to keep his pace up, pushing past the ache in his ribs, not wanting to slack off even though he was alone. He paid attention to how long he'd been running, wanting to turn around so that he'd be able to complete his run just outside his dormitory. Walking back after he was exhausted was out of the question; with his luck that was when something would jump him.

Tsukune kept running, trying to leave all the recent developments behind him, not wanting to have to think about arachnid girlfriends, jealous suitors, or any of the more mundane dangers that Youkai Academy had stacked to the rafters. Looking up, Tsukune almost stopped in his tracks when he saw the tunnel that the bus had travelled through when he'd arrived. It couldn't be more than a mile away, and it was within reach, a tempting sight that practically called out to him. He could reach it within minutes, and then he'd just have to get through it to go home, escape from Youkai Academy forever.

But as much as Tsukune wanted, needed, to leave, he had no idea what would happen if he just deserted. What if someone, or something came after him? And even if he made a clean getaway, what then? He'd be unable to start at a new school until the following year, and if it was on his record that he'd abandoned one school, the odds that another would accept him dropped dramatically. He'd started the transfer process and if he waited for that to finish he be able to leave legitimately. Turning back towards Youkai Academy was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do, but he left the exit behind as his feet pounded the ground as he began his return path.

As Youkai Academy came back into view, Tsukune pushed himself harder, imagining he was holding off a late charge from Ichiro as motivation. When he was a few hundred feet from his dorm, Tsukune finally eased up, putting his hands on his hips and breathing deep to get his wind back. By the time he reached the front steps he was covered by a film of sweat, and feeling tired, but breathing almost normally. Back in his room, after a cleansing shower, re-application of the wraps, and a dose of painkillers, Tsukune felt human again, and he got dressed for dinner. After a quick meal, he retreated to his room again to study for a while, before settling in for another sleep haunted by horrifying images and memories.

XXX

"Good afternoon Tsukune."

Tsukune closed his eyes and let out a faint sigh; he really needed to look into not having to eat. Maybe then he wouldn't have classmates coming up to him whenever he just wanted to refuel and be left alone. Looking up at his guest he saw that Keito was in front of him again, a lunch tray in her hands. He was relieved that she wasn't wearing her Enforcers uniform, so this probably made this a social call. Although that didn't necessarily make it any better either. "Hello Keito," he replied cordially, hoping she was just passing by.

Keito dashed that hope when she set her tray down and took a seat, once again not even bothering to ask for permission first. "Why do you always eat alone?" she asked.

'Keeps me from ending up as someone's lunch,' he thought darkly. "I just… use the time to study, that's all."

"At least it's not a waste," Keito agreed, taking a forkful of her lunch. "Your grades are getting better."

"How did-" Tsukune broke off when the answer became clear. If she could get her hands on his school file, his grades would be a piece of cake. "Gotta keep it up, don't wanna let 'em slip," he explained, keeping his eyes on his texts, and subtly bringing his right arm in closer, all the better to grab at his knife if he needed it. His left arm was still bruised from their first date, and the push-ups he'd started doing made them hurt as well. After a few minutes of going over his notes he glanced up and saw Keito watching him in between bites of her lunch. "I'm sorry if I'm not good company," he murmured, feeling vaguely guilty for not talking with her.

"Don't worry, I don't mind."

Tsukune closed his book. "Why?" he wondered. "It's got to feel like I'm ignoring you." The irony of that statement nearly made him shake his head.

Keito shrugged. "Sometimes it's nice just to be near someone you like, even if they don't have the time." She then gave him a smile.

Tsukune paused. That was on the border of almost being sweet. And Keito was rather pretty when she smiled. Letting out a deep breath he resumed his studying. Keito was also a spiderwoman who would kill him in a heartbeat if she figured out what he was. Movement out of the corner of his eye drew his gaze, and Tsukune saw Harunobu making a pathetic attempt to hide behind a garbage can, the unlucky suitor had an aura of desperate, impotent fury about him.

For just a fraction of a second, Tsukune's expression hardened; if that was all he could do, it was no wonder Keito wanted nothing to do with Harunobu. 'You're supposed to be a man, aren't you?' Tsukune thought angrily, ignoring the inherent flaw in that statement. 'Grow some balls and make a move, show her you care, sweep her off her feet. Or at least get her off my back…' When the skeezy looking monster slunk away, the human was unexpectedly gripped with disgust. Unless he had a huge attitude adjustment, there was nothing Tsukune could do to put off the date this weekend. Yes, Keito said the guy repulsed her, and he could sort of understand her feelings, but she just wasn't giving the poor guy a chance. Unless he was willing to make a move, he'd never be more than some creepy stalker.

Looking up from his contemplations, Tsukune noticed Keito was watching him study. Her attention made him feel a little fidgety. "Do I have something between my teeth?"

Keito shook her head. "You're just rather intense looking when you study."

Tsukune felt a strange compulsion to blush. "Thanks… I just need to keep my grades up, that's all."

"Speaking of that, shouldn't you be getting back to class?"

Glancing at the clock, Tsukune grimaced. "You're right. Thanks."

"It's no problem," Keito replied sweetly. "Would you mind if I walk with you to class?"

Tsukune froze, his textbook halfway into his bag. Walk? With her? He'd rather go for a run through a minefield. But looking at Keito he saw the almost hopeful look she was wearing, and that coupled with unexpected guilt over how he'd treated her, even if she'd cheerfully devour him, made it much harder than he expected to refuse her.

'I want her to lose interest,' Tsukune reminded himself. 'Not get so angry she kills me on principle.' He decided he could be distant, without being an asshole. "No, go ahead," he told her with a forced smile.

As they made their way through the hallways, Keito very close at his side, Tsukune noticed a few students giving approving looks as they passed. It made him think back to junior high, when all he'd ever wanted was to have a girl who wanted to be with him. Now he was walking through Youkai Academy with a rather attractive girl at his side, and he wanted nothing more than to be alone.

Sometimes the universe seemed especially unfair.

Several times during the slow walk to Tsukune's class, he noticed Harunobu attempting to follow them covertly, but the guy was about as subtle as dropping a piano from the roof. With his bumbling attempts to hide behind people and objects far too small, he stood out like a fly on a wedding cake, and Tsukune felt himself getting irritated by his presence. If Keito noticed him she didn't give Tsukune any indication of it. 'Maybe she's just gotten used to it.' The spiderwoman simply asked him seemingly innocent questions about running and his classes, telling him a little about her own as well.

When the unlikely couple finally reached Tsukune's class, Keito simply nodded politely and walked away, pausing to give Ms. Nekonome a little wave. His teacher gave him a dark glare and Tsukune looked at her apologetically, not noticing some of the rather hard looks some of his female classmates gave the departing Enforcer. Settling into his desk, Tsukune opened his books and tried not to think about his upcoming date this weekend.

XXX

Tsukune looked in his mirror and made sure his hair was tidy, or at least as tidy as his ever got. Satisfied with what he saw there, he glanced up at the clock; two minutes to three. Keito would be picking him up on the hour. She'd told him six at the end of their first date, but during the week she'd evidentially decided to start it earlier. She'd told him about the change in plans at dinner last night. Tsukune wondered why she hadn't mentioned it during one of their earlier meals together.

Every day that week Keito had joined him for a meal, sitting down without asking for permission and dining with him, despite his efforts to put on an air that he wanted to be left alone. She'd mostly done it at lunch, but breakfast happened once, and yesterday had been a double feature, lunch and dinner. Whatever the time she joined him, Harunobu was always in the background, trying to be discrete, but as obvious as a stampede of elephants. Tsukune found himself wondering if Keito was spending time with him just to give her unwanted suitor another twist of the knife. The fact she always walked with him afterwards couldn't have made the guy feel any better, and it always made Ms. Nekonome's ears flatten against her skull when she saw the two of them together.

There wasn't any doubt that Keito was doing that just for fun. She'd told Tsukune that right from the start.

Keito would always talk with him, asking him innocent sounding questions, and for a day or so he'd considered the idea that she was just spending time with him to learn whether or not he was human. But her questions were always innocuous, never probing, and Tsukune had started to subtly drop his guard around the Enforcer, even though he tried to remain vigilant.

Tsukune grimaced. Last night at dinner he'd been aghast to realize that he was starting to get comfortable with the spiderwoman. Sure, she could be surprisingly charming, but she was also obviously, and gleefully sadistic, occasionally telling him about her work, and Tsukune had needed all of his control to keep his horror well hidden. Keito'd also made it clear the utter contempt she had for humanity, and he used that to remind himself whenever he felt something like attraction or affection growing.

But he'd never counted on having to cope with the sheer isolation he placed himself in. Tsukune had never dealt with anyone outside of school or the cross country club, and the solitude and loneliness were harder to endure than he'd expected. It was one thing to be a bit of an outsider with only a few friends; being truly alone on dangerous ground was something else entirely, and he should have anticipated that he'd become desperate for any kind of attachment. Even if the subject of that attachment would doubtlessly kill him without hesitation if she ever learned the truth about him.

As if thinking about her could summon Keito, a brisk knocking suddenly came from the door. Tsukune jumped a little, even though he'd been expecting this. He looked up at his clock. 3 PM on the dot. He'd been over an hour late the first time, but Tsukune'd been certain he wouldn't be that lucky, and once again he'd been right.

At times like this, Tsukune really hated being right.

Nervously brushing his hands over his jacket to insure, yet again, that his makeshift weapons were in place, and swallowing to moisten a suddenly dry mouth, Tsukune opened the door a crack and looked out. Sure enough, Keito was standing there, her sleepy looking eyes meeting his, her almost arrogant smile in place. "Hello Keito," he greeted her as he opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

"Tsukune," Keito replied with a nod. "I'm glad you're ready, we'll need to go right away."

"Go where?" he asked. Keito had a bag over her shoulder, and she'd brushed off his timid attempts to learn what she had planned.

"It's a surprise," she responded neutrally. "You'll see soon enough."

"I love surprises," Tsukune told her, a tight, forced grin on his face. He allowed the spiderwoman to lead him out of the dorm, occasionally casting glances to the bag she had slung over her shoulder. He couldn't tell what was in it, and he suspected she wouldn't tell him if he asked. The couple walked slowly across the school ground, the pool coming into view. Tsukune scowled briefly when he saw Harunobu out of the corner of his eye, making a (failed) attempt to sneak after them. 'Does that guy camp outside my building?'

When Keito adjusted her path a little, it became clear to Tsukune that she wasn't planning on taking him swimming. His mind suddenly pulled up an image of what she might look like in a bikini, and he shook his head to clear away the surprisingly alluring image. 'A swim might have been nice,' he mused. 'Been a while since I-'

Tsukune's thoughts came to a screeching halt when a large triangular fin broke the surface and sliced swiftly through the water before slipping back under. He quickly made a mental note to never, ever approach the pool again, even if he ever burst into flame. Shaken, but not surprised by anything at Youkai Academy at this point, Tsukune began to get a little worried when it became clear Keito was leading him towards the dead forest behind the school. "Just what are we doing?" he asked, worried that while he and Keito would walk into the woods, she'd walk back out alone.

Keito stopped and gave him a laconic smirk. "We're going insect collecting."

Tsukune froze. "Say what?"

"Insect collecting," she repeated, unfazed by Tsukune's look of incomprehension. "Look," the spiderwoman said reasonably, "it's better than sitting around studying, it's relaxing." Keito slipped off her satchel and opened it, showing her dumbfounded companion jars, boxes, and a guide book. "You probably chased around bugs as a kid, right?"

"Well, yes," Tsukune admitted.

"So it's the same thing, you're just older now." Turning back to the forest, the Enforcer strode confidentially into the trees.

Tsukune hesitated. He'd run through the woods enough times, but that had always been in a group. Now he was alone with someone who had plenty of reason to want him dead, even if she didn't know that yet. Letting out a short breath, Tsukune followed after her. 'If she wanted to lure me off to kill me, she wouldn't use such a stupid idea… Would she…?' Feeling nowhere near as secure in his logic as he liked, the human put himself on alert; maybe he was being overly paranoid now, even for him. On the other hand, there was no reason he should make it easy for her in case he was wrong.

After a minute of walking the school seemed to disappear in the trees, the still air allowing an eerie silence to fall over the couple. When Keito stopped and set down her bag Tsukune idly leaned against a tree, taking mild comfort from the fact nothing would be able to get to him from behind. Keito looked up at him and her eyes narrowed. Almost quicker than his eyes could follow she rushed at him.

In spite of his efforts, Tsukune was caught completely by surprise, not having a chance to dodge the hand that brushed past his head, pushing aside some of his hairs. Almost as fast Keito's hand drew back, a small, plain grey moth writhing desperately as she held it by its wings.

"See? Found one already."

Tsukune managed to keep his legs from buckling as he looked at the helpless insect in the grip of his girlfriend. "H-how did you…?"

"I have good eyes," Keito explained cheerfully.

If she'd wanted to kill him, he'd never know what hit him. Tsukune felt a strange sense of calm come over him. He wasn't going to drop his guard, but there wasn't a lot he could do to protect himself. He knew he'd have to be very lucky, and he suspected that he'd almost exhausted his stockpile of that. There was nothing Tsukune could do but just go with the flow and hope that he did nothing to draw Keito's attention to him before he was able to transfer out. "Do you want to put it in a jar?" he squeaked.

Keito shook her head. "I already have a few of them," she told him. "Do you want it?"

"No thanks."

Keito shrugged. "Suit yourself." She then popped the moth into her mouth and began chewing.

Tsukune turned around and pretended to be looking at the tree for more insects, so Keito wouldn't see him going green. A wave of nausea rose but he was able to push it down with effort, reminding himself that according to some TV shows, insects were excellent sources of protein. Besides, Keito was a spiderwoman, he should have expected this. Kneeling down, his stomach starting to settle down a little and trying not to hear the chewing noises Keito made, Tsukune's eyes were drawn to a small movement. With a slightly unsteady hand he reached out and took hold of a stag beetle.

When he'd been younger, Tsukune had always looked for one, but this was the first time he'd managed to get one. Lifting the rather large specimen up to look at it, he watched its legs thrashing impotently, the big pincers opening and closing as it struggled to get free. Tsukune stood back up and faced Keito, feeling relieved when she swallowed. "Look at this one."

"That's nice," she complimented him. "I'll get a jar." The spiderwoman walked back to her bag, leaving the recovering human alone with his catch.

As Tsukune continued to study his find, he felt a strange sense of accomplishment. The simple pleasure of a childhood wish could be rather heartening, he discovered. When Keito returned with the empty jar he dropped it in and closed the lid, and the two of them resumed their search for more. Tsukune was extremely relieved when Keito didn't simply eat every insect they discovered, keeping a few, but letting most of them go free. By the time she'd eaten her third one, it didn't bother Tsukune that much anymore.

The time passed a lot faster that Tsukune would have expected, but he managed to catch a surprising number of bugs, but he couldn't compare with Keito, whose arm was like a striking cobra when seizing insects. A number of millipedes and two more stag beetles went into jars and boxes, and Keito turned out to be a fountain of knowledge about them. But when Tsukune reconsidered that, he supposed that was only logical. He also found that he was actually enjoying himself with the Enforcer, something he'd never planned on or expected. When she wasn't overtly threatening, she could even be fun to talk with, although when she used her spider silk to snare a particularly colourful butterfly, she merely drove home her inherent menace.

It was well after six o'clock when the two of them started back to the school, a menagerie of indigenous insects in their possession. Tsukune was looking at a few specimens in their jars, While Keito occasionally plucked on from a box and ate it, talking to the human in between snacks. After swallowing a brightly colored millipede, which had to have been at least ten inches long, she held the box out to Tsukune. "Want one?"

Maybe it was the sheer insanity of the situation, or maybe he worried that this was actually some kind of secret test. Tsukune couldn't have given a reason if his life was on the line. "…Sure… Why not…?" The almost expectant look Keito gave him also helped.

Ignoring anything he didn't recognize, passing on anything with more than six legs, and remembering that in nature bright colors usually meant 'I'm bad to eat,' left one of the stag beetles he'd found. Gingerly reaching down and plucking it out, he used his left hand to take hold of the frightened insect by one of its pincers. Holding his breath, and telling himself it was just a hard candy with a chewy center, he put it into his mouth thorax end first and bit down.

Crunch!

If Tsukune'd had to describe it, he would have said it was like biting into a peanut, with the shell still on. Only crunchier. And instead of a tasty peanut, it was filled with bitter toothpaste. Desperately trying to ignore the feeling of legs still kicking, Tsukune began chewing frantically, wanting to finish off the bug quickly so he could swallow it and get the awful taste out of his mouth. The shell wouldn't get soft, so he could only break it into smaller pieces, turning the mouthful gritty as he chewed. Dropping the now amputated pincers, and reminding himself that bugs were rich in protein, Tsukune worked his jaws, pulverizing the exoskeleton and thankfully stopping the legs from kicking anymore.

After what felt like an eternity, Tsukune figured it was safe to try swallowing, and he began working his throat to send it into his stomach. The first swallow nearly made him gag, but he forced it down, clearing his mouth and using his tongue to remove every nauseating trace. "Not bad," he managed to force out afterwards with a weak grin. Tsukune wanted nothing more than to go back to his room and brush his teeth for a month.

"I've always thought those were too crunchy," Keito remarked, flicking another moth between her lips.

"It's okay, like a kettle chip…" From that day forward, Tsukune would never again eat a kettle chip.

As the human tried to clear the taste of the bug out of his mouth without spitting, needing to use a fingernail to pick pieces of the shell from his teeth, Keito closed the box and slipped it into her bag. Without preamble she took hold of Tsukune's free hand and squeezed it as they left the forest and entered the clearing of the school.

Tsukune nearly bit off a finger suppressing a yell as his hand was once again treated to one of Keito's affectionate gestures. He'd had a lot of practice concealing pain by now, so he was able to act normal, even as he felt his fingers go numb in her crushing grip. She lead him to his building, seemingly ignoring the looks they attracted from other students as they passed. When they reached Tsukune's door she let him go and the young man wanted to weep with relief, clenching his fist and thankful it still worked.

"I had a wonderful time," Keito told him with her usual smile. "I hate to cut things short, but I've got some official business later tonight."

"It's okay," Tsukune replied. "I enjoyed it too." He was surprised that he said it. He was even more surprised that it wasn't a lie. And he really didn't want to know what she meant by 'official business.'

"Before I go, there's something we need to do," she cooed, taking a step towards Tsukune.

"W-we can plan the next date later," he stammered, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. The almost hungry look in her eyes making him suddenly nervous.

Keito clicked her tongue. "There's no need to be coy, we're dating, right?" She then took hold of his hands with her own.

Tsukune looked around nervously; there were plenty of witnesses in the hallway, more than a few watching with frank interest. "I-I'm not comfortable with public displays of affection…" He tried pulling his hands free, but they might as well have been set in concrete.

"Playing hard to get? I like that," Keito practically purred. She took a step forward and lifted his arms, forcing him back against the wall next to his door, his arms pinned over him. "If you really don't want this, use your monster form to break free. Don't worry, you won't get in trouble," she promised.

Tsukune was frantically trying to get loose, his arms quivering as he struggled to get free. Monster form? He didn't have one, but right now he would have given anything for one. His feeble attempts weren't even noticed as Keito watched him. It reminded Tsukune of the insects they'd caught earlier, and the parallels frightened him.

"I knew you didn't mean it," Keito whispered, leaning in towards his face.

Remembering what Keito looked like in her monster form, Tsukune shut his eyes, knowing what was coming, but not wanting to see it. We was startled when he felt gentle pressure on his lips; Keito's lips were warm, soft, supple, and felt completely human to Tsukune. When she opened her mouth she eased her tongue between his lips and teeth, gently exploring the inside of his mouth. Tsukune whimpered at the unwanted intrusion, even as he realized it was far more tender than he'd expected, based on what he knew of the spiderwoman.

As he practically hung there helplessly, Tsukune noticed that despite what he'd seen her devour that afternoon, she didn't taste the slightest bit buggy. The kiss was almost sweet, with subtle floral hints as well, and Tsukune couldn't keep himself from thinking it was nice. When her tongue sensuously rubbed against his, Tsukune felt himself returning the kiss, even though he really didn't want to. At least, that's what he was trying to tell himself as Keito moaned softly into his mouth, her lips pressed gently against his own. When her fingers danced gently over his cheeks, Tsukune felt himself tremble at the feeling.

'Fingers…?' he asked himself. 'But she's holding my arms…'

Tsukune opened his eyes and looked up, Keito's mouth muffling his cry of fear. She'd let her arachnid legs out, and two of them kept his arms pinned to the wall, despite his sudden panicked efforts to break free. Keito didn't appear to notice his struggles, the soft, gentle kiss an insane counterpoint to the iron grip she had on his arms, even as her slender fingers worked their way into his hair. When he felt his body stirring from the attention, even as part of him was near the point of absolute fear, the adrenalin flowed into his system sharpened already keen senses, and allowing Keito's efforts to set off fireworks along his spine.

His eyes were open as his tongue explored Keito's mouth, gently running the tip of it along her teeth, in what felt like tempting fate. And then it was over. Keito broke off the kiss, planting a final one on Tsukune's lips and stepping back, her arachnid legs drawing back into her body, allowing his arms to drop numbly to his sides.

"See you Monday," Keito breathed, turning around and sashaying down the hallway, a playful hitch in her gait making her skirt sway from side to side. The bystanders all immediately started looking elsewhere, resuming conversations as the Enforcer approached, all of them eyeing Tsukune after Keito passed.

Trembling, Tsukune managed to get his door open and scrambled inside, locking and barricading the door. He was still shaking when he staggered into the bathroom, opening the tap and taking water directly from it, rinsing out his mouth and spitting into the sink. He shucked off his clothes and stepped into the shower, taking his toothbrush and brushing hard until his gums started to bleed.

But try as he might, Tsukune couldn't deny the fact he was turned on, in spite of being violated by the spiderwoman, who'd done with him what she pleased, regardless of how he felt. As the hot water sluiced over him, the frightened human tried to tell himself that his body was just acting on instinct, that his higher reasoning had been bypassed. But Tsukune knew that part of him, and not simply just his body, had wanted Keito to continue, despite the fear she invoked in him. As he stood under the blast of hot water, he began to calm down, his heart rate slowing down and his thinking getting clearer.

Turning off the shower, Tsukune dried himself off, slipping into boxers and a t-shirt, any idea of going down for dinner having been driven away. Not wanting to think about his feelings, Tsukune dropped to the ground for more push-ups, recalling that even his best efforts had failed, and that he needed to get stronger. He began doing them mechanically, letting his mind go into standby for a while as his body engrossed itself in its efforts.

After who knew how many push-ups, he hadn't even bothered to count them, Tsukune crawled into bed, his aching arms and ribs pacified by a dose of painkillers. Trying to keep his mind empty, Tsukune finally drifted off to sleep, but it was no better than any of the nights that had come before it.

End of Chapter Five

Author's Notes:

None, aside from this was once again pre-read by random1377 and Mereo Flere.

All bads are mine, not theirs.


	6. Knife's Edge

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Rosario + Vampire:

He Who Fights Monsters…

Chapter Six: Knife's Edge

Written by: Hawker_748

Tsukune sat up slowly and rubbed the sand out of his eyes, giving his clock a baleful look. 6:13 on a Monday morning. Too early to get up for school, but there was no way he'd be able to sleep again, so he might as well get ready for another school day. Running his left hand through his hair and idly scratching his scalp, Tsukune scowled as details of his dreams became clearer. The night before hadn't been a fluke, the way he dreamed seemed to have changed.

He'd had the occasional wet dream before, he was a normal growing male. Hormone wise at least. And Tsukune had been forced to endure nightmares every single night since he'd arrived. But now he was having them both. At the same time. And in both cases, the same person was both the source of the horror, and the lust. Also at the same time. 'I've never heard of anyone having wet nightmares before,' Tsukune told himself, frowning as he took note of the sticky mess in his boxer shorts.

Letting out a breath the human slipped out of bed, pulled off his sweat soaked shirt and pushed down his underwear, tossing both of them in the hamper. Stepping into the shower, Tsukune let the hot water wash over him, sluicing off the sweat and grime; at least he'd been able to get rid of the chest wraps yesterday, his ribs healed up enough that they didn't ache with every breath anymore. As he lathered up he unconsciously shuddered as a vivid image from his dream came to him, the odd combination of fear and lust making him worry for his sanity.

If he didn't do something to stop these new wet nightmares, Tsukune suspected that he'd end up single-handedly buying some psychiatrist a new condo when he was older. Provided the doctor didn't listen to his story and then immediately have Tsukune committed as clearly insane.

The call to his parents the day before had also been awkward to Tsukune, having to make it sound as if the date had been a disappointment, only without going into detail on why. He hadn't mentioned the kiss, or having to eat a bug, figuring the less his mom and dad knew the better. When his mom tried pressing for more information, Tsukune had mumbled something about a long line up at the phones and ended the call. He'd spent as much of Sunday as he could in his room, skipping breakfast and lunch, not wanting to be the subject of yet more gossip in the cafeteria over the very public display of affection Keito had given him. He'd made the call home, then eaten as late as he could, wolfing down his food and trying to be discrete, but overhearing a few students mentioning his name in hushed whispers.

Rinsing off the soap and letting the hot water flowing over him kick his weary mind into full alertness, Tsukune turned off the tap and reached for a towel, drying off in front of a fogged up mirror. He wiped it off and scowled when he got a good look at his reflection. Without the wraps covering his chest he could see the collection of scars he'd picked up. Some were from his first couple of days at Youkai Academy, others from fighting off Guno Yasai's attempt at revenge. Even his 'girlfriend' had left bruises on his arm when she'd been affectionate.

Still, when he considered how many dangers he'd faced since arriving, a nice collection of scars seemed to be getting off lucky. And while his body continued to give notice of its injuries, at least they were healing, albeit slower than he liked. Aside from having to deal with the amorous attention from a possibly sociopathic spiderwoman, he hadn't been hurt that bad, and he was almost back to full strength.

Tsukune pursed his lips as he considered Keito for perhaps the hundredth time. She'd forced herself on him with no regard for his feelings, saying he really wanted it when he'd been unable to break free. He'd been effectively violated, and he was fortunate that she'd had other plans, or who knew how far she might have gone.

Now if only he could say that all of him agreed with that sentiment…

Considering his dreams, the sticky messes Tsukune'd discovered in his boxers these two mornings, and the dark thrill that had run up his spine, he couldn't tell whether he was more horrified or turned on. The kiss had been forced upon him, but it had still been one helluva kiss. Resolving to make sense of his feelings later, probably a few years after he was able to transfer out, Tsukune finished drying off, combed his hair, and got dressed, mostly on autopilot. Making sure his weapons were securely on his person, and clearing away the slightly reassuring barricade from the door, the human made his way to the cafeteria for breakfast, and to do some studying before class started.

If the students in the cafeteria had heard about the kiss between Keito and Tsukune, they were at least quite discrete about it. No fingers were pointed, and any chatter was muffled enough that he couldn't hear it, but one student gave Tsukune a sly grin, arching his eyebrows lecherously before returning his attention back to his meal. Eating in his usual silence, and keeping careful watch for his supposed romantic rival, Tsukune flipped through his notebooks, discovering he was having some difficulty keeping focused. Gnashing his teeth in frustration, he forced himself to push images of affectionate arachnids out of his mind and replace them with cold, dispassionate mathematics.

It was half an hour later when it dawned on Tsukune that he hadn't seen any sign of Harunobu since Saturday. Granted, he'd mostly stayed in his room Sunday, but the jealous rival had been a nearly constant presence around Tsukune since the first date with Keito. He looked around, but unless Harunobu had dramatically improved his stealthiness, there was no trace of him anywhere. Contrary to his expectations, this made Tsukune even more uneasy, as the other guy hadn't seemed like the type to just give up and walk away.

Tsukune spent the rest of his time keeping his eyes peeled for Harunobu, or his girlfriend, half expecting either of them to just pop up without warning. Given his luck, they'd both show up simultaneously. But despite his fears, no one interrupted the rest of his breakfast, even though he wasn't able to get any productive studying done. He was relieved when the time came for him to head to class, and Tsukune packed his satchel and began walking, wondering when the other shoe would drop.

When he reached his class, Ms. Nekonome's ears flattened right against her head, and she practically hissed at him, and he was certain that she knew about the kiss. He wouldn't have been surprised if Keito had told her personally. Not needing to act to look guilty, Tsukune slunk to his desk, briefly making eye contact with the long haired girl who sat next to him. She quickly averted her eyes, but Tsukune thought he saw a hurt look before she looked away.

When his teacher took attendance and started class, Tsukune concentrated on the lesson, finding it easier to focus on his studies than deal with the newest difficulty attending a school for monsters had stirred up.

XXX

Tsukune glanced up at the clock, feeling profound relief that it would soon be lunch. The entire morning's classes had been awkward; he'd known that Ms. Nekonome didn't approve of him seeing Keito, and news of the kiss, even if he'd been unwilling, hadn't done anything to change her mind. What he hadn't expected was for her to be so petty about it. When she'd started the class, she'd ask who knew an answer, and she never called on Tsukune, no matter how many times he raised his hand. The first time he didn't know the answer and kept his hand down, she called on him.

After three times, Tsukune raised his hand if he couldn't answer a question, and kept it down if he could. He felt a rather childish and petty satisfaction at the look on his teachers face when he surprised her by telling her the capital of North Dakota was Bismarck. If that had been the end of it, Tsukune would have been understanding of her feelings.

However, Ms. Nekonome just seemed to take it as a challenge…

While she didn't completely ignore her other students, Tsukune came close to having a one on one teaching session with Shizuka, as she began going beyond what she had taught, and watching him carefully, asking him questions if he seemed not to understand. Feeling his own hackles rising, Tsukune did he best to not give her the satisfaction of seeing him struggling, even though the questions got harder and harder. When he happened to glance around to buy another second to think of a reply, he noticed that some of his classmates were taking amusement at his predicament. A few had even closed their books and were leaning back in their chairs, openly enjoying the show.

During the break between classes, Tsukune heard someone stage-whisper, 'lover's quarrel,' and the snickering that caused made him feel like a fool. The rest of the morning had been interminable, and when the clock finally reached noon, Tsukune got to his feet as quick as he could, wanting nothing more than to get away from the entire awkward situation. He'd just picked up his bag when the door to the class opened and Harunobu Kouji walked in.

"This ends today, Aono!"

Tsukune felt his jaw tighten; the last thing in the world he'd needed was yet another source of irritation. "I'm sorry, what ends?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Today I make Keito mine!" Harunobu announced. "I finally figured out why she likes you…"

"Do tell." Tsukune was a little curious about that himself.

"She likes that you always stay human, so that's how I'll beat you!"

Tsukune's eyes narrowed. "Beat me?"

"I'm challenging you to a fight, in human form, right here, right now," the jealous suitor declared. "The winner gets Keito."

Tsukune was certain the spiderwoman wouldn't think much of being thought of as property. While letting Harunobu beat him might be an acceptable way to palm Keito off and get her off his back, he was sure that she wouldn't agree to the terms and keep an interest in Tsukune regardless. And on another note, if he let this guy beat him, it might encourage other monsters to challenge him, and Tsukune didn't want that.

Harunobu was brazenly standing in front of him, an arrogant smirk on his face. But Tsukune noticed that his hands were by his side, and he was positioned completely open, not even angled away to present a smaller target profile. His romantic rival might have decided he wanted to fight in human form, but it was obvious he didn't know the first thing about it. Tsukune could hear his classmates talking in hushed tones, speculating on the outcome of the fight, and in a few cases placing bets. The door to the class was also open, and passers-by were looking in, blocking his escape path, drawn by the commotion Harunobu had caused with his brash statement.

Tsukune looked over his rival's shoulder and his eyes suddenly went wide with shock. "What the hell…?"

Harunobu quickly turned his head to see. "What-?"

Harunobu had never had a lot of success in his life; he'd never been that strong, and he'd been forced to be a bystander for most of his life. Even when there'd been a chance for him, he'd almost always wasted it, usually because of some incredibly stupid mistake. Taking his eyes off of Tsukune Aono after challenging him was simply his most recent…

Leg muscles hardened by months of running powered his foot forward in a vicious kick to Harunobu's groin, causing the monster to let out an agonized shriek, and had some of the male spectators wincing in sympathy. The monster clutched himself with both hands, hunching over in an attempt to stop the pain, only to have Tsukune take hold of his head and drive a knee into his opponents face three times, breaking teeth and turning cries of pain to wet mumbles.

Tsukune was a little surprised that Harunobu was still conscious, and he slammed his head against Ms. Nekonome's desk. It was old, solid oak, and built to last. The monster's head connected with a solid thud, the wooden surface not yielding an inch, and Harunobu dropped bonelessly to the floor, blood flowing from his ruined face as he lay motionless on the ground.

Letting out a breath, Tsukune looked up from his handiwork and saw his teacher gaping at him, the rest of the class in stunned silence. He felt like he should explain himself, but Harunobu had literally been asking for it, and since he didn't want to appear as if he thought he was in the wrong, he didn't bother making an excuse. Giving Ms. Nekonome a vaguely apologetic look, he hadn't wanted her to get caught up in his problems, Tsukune bent down to pick up his bag where he'd dropped it.

"B-bastard… This… isn't… over…" Harunobu rasped suddenly.

The fallen monster's skin was rippling like water, and an inhuman hissing burbled through ruined lips. Harunobu's head lifted slowly, his hands starting to grow, and when he turned to face his opponent, his eyes were a glowing, evil green.

Then Tsukune smashed the corner of a student's desk onto his head, driving it back into the floor. The sickening crunch was still echoing when the human lifted the desk back up and crushed it back down on the hapless monster. The third strike sent a spatter of blood all over Tsukune's pants and shoes. The fourth blow caused Harunobu's skull to shatter like an egg under a pile driver.

Again and again Tsukune brought the desk down onto the monster's head, each hit crushing bone and brain, a wet crunching sound punctuating the bang of each strike. Harunobu was motionless on the floor, only twitching when Tsukune used the desk to inflict more trauma on his brain. By now the monster's head looked like a crockery pot that had been full of chilli and then thrown against the floor. The human knew that his opponent was dead, but he continued to slam the desk into the blood and gore, the ongoing stress and anger finally being released. Tsukune might have continued smashing the desk down, but he managed to hear a desperate cry through the fog of his rage.

"Stop!"

Tsukune paused, the desk over his head, gore dripping from the corner. Through the ragged gasps of his breathing, he realized that Ms. Nekonome had been screaming for him to end his assault, and he saw the look of shocked horror on her face. The sound of retching reached his ears, and Tsukune glanced over his shoulder to see two of his classmates vomiting at the carnage he'd caused, and a few others looking green. Lowering the desk, the human surveyed his work; Harunobu was obviously dead, his head smashed beyond any recognition. His corpse was also the most human looking of any of his victims, and to anyone who hadn't known the circumstances, it looked as if Tsukune had simply murdered someone.

Kenichi had been burnt to ashes; Guno had literally been washed away. But Harunobu's remains were just sitting there, flies beginning to swarm around his ruined head. This had been the hardest Tsukune had ever worked to kill someone, but other than being tired, he felt nothing else. There was a faint twinge of another emotion, but Tsukune wouldn't acknowledge that it was satisfaction. Using his fingers to touch his face, they came away with red spots, and he realized he'd need to wash up before going to lunch. A quick glance at his classmates, and through the door of his class, revealed disbelief, and more than a few respectful nods.

One obvious exception was Saizo, who gave him a contemptuous sneer from his desk. Moka Akayashi, the school idol, scowled as she approached him, and Tsukune wondered if he'd have to fight her as well.

"How can you be so… so… human?" Her voice was dripping with disappointment.

"Human?" Tsukune murmured.

"You're the most ruthless student here." Moka walked by carefully, acting as if she was afraid she'd catch something by brushing against him, joined outside the class by the young witch, Yukari Sendou. The bruises had cleared, and her arm wasn't in a sling anymore, but she was apparently still as insufferable as she'd ever been. She just was more careful in who she chose to antagonize than she'd first been.

Tsukune thought about what she had said, then realized he was hungry, and he picked up his satchel, leaving the class without even a look back. After using a sink in the washroom to wash his face and hands, the water running pink for a bit, Tsukune dried off with paper towels and went to the cafeteria to eat.

XXX

Tsukune hadn't really paid attention as he entered the cafeteria and got in line, not noticing the meal until it was on his tray. Pasta with meat sauce. It kind of looked like what Harunobu's head had been like after he'd crushed it. As he headed for his usual table, he recalled his latest murder, playing it out over in his mind as he sat. Before he'd arrived at Youkai Academy, the visceral nature of Harunobu's death would have made him nauseous. Now it didn't faze him as he took a forkful of pasta and began chewing.

Considering how fast word about his previous actions had spread, Tsukune suspected that everyone would have heard about it before lunch ended. As he looked around, the solitary human noticed the people at other tables were whispering amongst themselves, and occasionally gesturing in his direction. Tsukune let out a short breath. At least he didn't have to worry about Keito's unlucky suitor stalking him anymore. He also didn't bother keeping an eye out for the Enforcers; he'd already killed two students before this one, and he'd never had to answer for either of those.

His meal was thankfully undisturbed this time, and after clearing his tray, and making a quick detour to the school's administrative offices, Tsukune headed back to class, pretending not to notice the guarded looks some of the students gave him in the hallway, or the way they seemed to stop talking as he passed. He kept himself alert, on the off chance that Harunobu had a vengeful friend who'd be out for his blood, but he wasn't really expecting that to be a problem.

"-guy had to be nuts, what was he thinking?" a voice came from the classroom.

"Yeah, picking a fight with Aono like that? He musta had a death wish…" another student chimed in. The speaker looked over his shoulder and flinched a little when he saw Tsukune in the doorway.

Tsukune just walked in, not bothering to react to any of the discussion about him, and not seeing the way the speaker slumped with relief. The first thing that did register with him was that Harunobu's body was gone, and the class had been cleaned so well there was barely a trace of what had happened, except for a dent in the floorboards where the desk had struck them. This had been the first time that a clean-up had been required, and Tsukune wondered if the school's custodial staff took care of it, or maybe one of the other students had simply eaten the body and licked the rest clean.

The fact that neither of those notions disturbed him had Tsukune wondering whether he was even human anymore. Everyone else seemed fine with what had happened, and they'd even cleaned up virtually all the evidence, save for the spatter that still covered his clothes. Looking down at himself, Tsukune raised an eyebrow when he noticed a rather sizeable speck of matter on the lapel of his jacket. 'Oh, wait, that's just some sauce I spilled at lunch,' he realized. He idly used his finger to pick it up and ate it, deciding that the Cafeteria made a pretty good Bolognese sauce.

His classmates didn't realize what the spot had actually been, and many were awestruck by the off-hand way he'd done that.

Ms. Nekonome walked into the classroom, took attendance again –Saizo had taken the afternoon off, again- and resumed the lesson from the morning. Tsukune noticed that the normally upbeat teacher seemed far more reserved now, and she'd stopped the little game she'd been playing with him earlier, not asking him questions when his hand wasn't up. He barely even recalled the class after lunch, not once even trying to participate, and Ms. Nekonome all but ignored him. Tsukune spent the afternoon thinking about how little he was feeling about what he'd done, and just noticing that between classes, his classmates made a few cautious attempts to talk to him, a few of them talking to him as if he was an upperclassman.

When the school day came to an end, Tsukune walked out of the class and returned to his room, showering and changing clothes, doing a little studying before going down for dinner. When he reached the cafeteria, a classmate of his allowed him to enter the line in front of him, and Tsukune nodded faintly at that. The way Youkai Academy seemed to reward cruelty had once horrified him, but it was getting easier to accept, something that Tsukune felt should have bothered him more than it did.

Tsukune ate slowly, alone at the table he'd always used, knowing that people were whispering about him at other tables, but not letting it affect him. The overly pragmatic part of his mind even decided that it might be a good thing, as it was less likely that he'd have to deal with anyone else before he was able to transfer to a human school, and put the entire nightmarish situation behind him

"Tsukune-chaaaaaan…"

The human nearly jumped out of his chair in fright; the syrupy sweet voice had been right behind him, and he'd had no idea someone had gotten that close. Mentally cursing his lack of attention, and feeling lucky that his guest hadn't been planning any violence, Tsukune managed to force out "H-hello Keito…"

The spiderwoman took a seat without asking, as usual, but this time she sat next to him instead of across the table. "I heard about what happened at lunch."

"Word must get around," Tsukune replied weakly.

Keito was practically beaming. "I had no idea you could be so romantic."

"Romantic…?"

"Showing that idiot that you were willing to fight for me," Keito gushed. "Even if you'd lost I wouldn't be caught dead with him, but I knew you wouldn't lose."

"Wait… You knew what he was planning?" Tsukune murmured.

"Of course," Keito replied dismissively. "But I knew you'd take him out for me."

"I didn't do it for you," Tsukune hissed, his hackles rising at the spiderwoman's carefree attitude.

Keito smiled indulgently. "No need to be so modest," she told him, before she leaned close, holding his head in place with her right hand. Tsukune shuddered when he felt her breath tickling his ear. "I've made sure I'm free this weekend," Keito whispered. "When we finish our date, I'll invite you in to… look at my stamp collection…"

Tsukune's chopsticks dropped from nerveless fingers as his mind seized up. Keito gently bit his earlobe and then pulled back, a smile on her face that was nowhere near innocent. She got up and slowly walked away, her skirt playfully swinging from side to side, not caring that Tsukune had gone as pale as a ghost, frozen solid for a few moments after the spiderwoman made her exit.

Lurching to his feet, abandoning his meal, any trace of hunger driven away by terror, Tsukune scrambled to his room, not even stopping to apologize to the students he collided with in his frantic dash. In his room, door locked and barricade erected, the human trembled in fear, trying desperately not to think about what would happen in less than a week. Tsukune still had the bug bombs in his closet, but he had no idea if they would work on his girlfriend, and if they weren't up to the task he didn't think he could take her in a fight if she was serious. Ambushing her might work, but he didn't have anything that could do enough damage to guarantee Keito wouldn't be able to launch a vengeful counterattack.

After half an hour of acting like a terrified animal, Tsukune managed to calm down enough to consider things more rationally. He still couldn't think of a way out of this predicament, but he took some consolation that he was in better health than he'd been in some time. There was also a chance that he'd have another inspired flash of brilliance and figure out a way to take Keito down. Shambling into the bathroom, his shaking hands turning on the tap and splashing water on his face to calm down more, Tsukune slipped into bed. Again his dreams were both erotic and horrifying, leaving him covered with the cold sweat of fear and the warm sweat of lust.

XXX

The next day had been a blur to Tsukune; starting with a night of sleep that was as frightening as it was torridly sensual, being so rattled that he'd only been able to keep vigilant, and remember nothing about breakfast, his morning classes, lunch, and anything that had been taught after that. The idea that he was sexually attracted to Keito, at least as far as his subconscious was concerned, disturbed him, even though he'd admit she was rather lovely. But since she'd all but guaranteed he'd get lucky that weekend, Tsukune couldn't keep his thoughts focused, scared of what that might lead to. He was a nervous wreck by the end of his classes, barely even acknowledging anyone's presence, even when Saizo had made a few especially disparaging anti-human remarks.

Slipping his book into his bag, grateful that there was a cross-country run after school, those always gave him a chance to clear his head, Tsukune let out a terrified yelp when someone touched his shoulder. When he saw it was just Ichiro, he sagged in relief, feeling embarrassed at making a fool of himself.

"Wound a little tight?" Ichiro asked the shaken human.

"Sorry, just had a bad night's sleep," he admitted.

The werewolf nodded in understanding. "I'm glad I was able to reach you, this time."

"This time?"

"A lot of us has exams this week, so I decided to cancel tonight's run," Ichiro explained.

"I see," Tsukune grimaced in disappointment. "Can we run on our own, like last time?"

"That's my boy," Ichiro replied proudly. "Yes, by all means, go ahead."

"Thanks," Tsukune told him solemnly. "You're a good guy."

Ichiro looked a little awkward. "Don't get all misty on me, I'll see you Thursday."

"Right. Thursday. You take care…"

"Later." Ichiro gave a final nod and walked out of the class, leaving Tsukune to finish packing his bag.

The human was the last one out of the class, and he turned around and gave it a quick look before making his way back to his dorm room. Once inside, he changed into his running clothes, slipped his improvised weapons into their hiding places, and slipped a few additional things into his pockets, then left the room. Tsukune made his way to where the cross country club usually mustered, and began stretching, his heart beating faster than normal today. Satisfied that he was sufficiently loosened up, he began running along the same path he'd used the first time he'd ever run alone.

After a few minutes he'd passed all the school buildings, the chattering and activity of students fading away until there was only silence. Resisting the impulse to go flat out, Tsukune kept his normal pace, following along the cliff edge, idly noticing that the view wasn't bad, and that he could even learn to like it.

But Tsukune had no intention of ever seeing it again.

When the cross country president had told him the normal run had been cancelled, Tsukune'd had an epiphany. His visit to the school's administrative office at lunch the day before had confirmed that it would be at least a few months before he could transfer out of Youkai Academy. So he'd decided to simply make a break for it after Ichiro mentioned he could run on his own. As Tsukune had made his way to his room to change, he'd found himself wondering why he hadn't left after all the violence he'd seen and been forced to take part in, but a promise of sex from his girlfriend had him running for the hills.

At any other school, fleeing from the prospect of a physical relationship with an attractive woman would have made Tsukune question his sanity, or perhaps his sexual orientation. But at Youkai Academy, nothing was ever as it initially appeared. Tsukune knew that black widow spiders devoured their mates afterwards; he had no idea whether or not Keito was somehow related to the black widow, and he had no intention of finding out the hard way.

Even if she didn't believe that an after sex snack should consist of her partner, being that close to her made it very, very likely she'd be able to figure out what species he was, and given what she's said about humanity, that wouldn't be healthy for Tsukune either. A pre-emptive strike might have worked, but even if it did, taking out an Enforcer might bring the rest of them on top of him. And Tsukune figured he had enough blood on his hands already, and he didn't want to add more.

In addition to bringing along his usual improvised weapons, Tsukune had taken along his wallet, which held every piece of identification he had. The school file on him was apparently missing some information on where he lived in the outside world, and if someone decided to come after him, they'd have to find that out for themselves. It was more likely that the school wouldn't even notice if he went missing, considering how little of a deal they made over the three students he'd already killed. 'They'll probably just assume something dragged me away and ate me…'

Granted, just up and leaving Youkai Academy would cause him some difficulties when he got home. Without transfer papers, he'd be unable to resume classes until the following year, but that was a price he was willing to accept. His parents would also be disappointed, but if they were willing to ostracize him over that, after what he'd been through he no longer cared. Being a ronin may have been a source of shame, but you had to be alive to be ashamed, and after his time here, he'd never take that for granted again.

When Tsukune looked up and saw the tunnel, he had to suppress an urge to cheer, and simply start going flat out. He had no idea how long that tunnel was, and he didn't want to tire himself out running through it. And if the school did send something in pursuit, Tsukune wanted to have the energy to make a sprint to escape; once he was through, it didn't matter if he dropped and passed out, he'd be able to call his folks, or a cab, or do something to make himself safe.

But as the entrance grew closer with every stride, Tsukune realized that there were a few things about Youkai Academy that he would actually miss. Being on his own was nice, and while being back home would be wonderful, it had been nice to experience life without his parents. The cross country president, Ichiro, had been pretty close to being a friend, and Tsukune felt a touch of regret at not seeing him again, even if his friendly gestures hurt like hell.

Ms. Nekonome had been one of the best teachers he'd ever had, the enthusiasm she brought to her classes was contagious, and she'd always looked out for him. Tsukune figured he probably had had a schoolboy crush on her, and he was sorry that one of the last memories of her would be the petty disagreement they'd had the day before, which had lead into his third homicide of the semester. If he hadn't known better, he would have figured that she'd almost been jealous of the relationship he had with Keito.

Even Keito was the unexpected source of a few good memories; he'd come to like spending the occasional meal with her, and the afternoon they'd collected insects was almost like a normal date between two ordinary people. She'd also been his first kiss, albeit without his consent, but it was far nicer than he would be willing to admit. She was also violent, pushy, virulently anti-human, self-centered, and very possibly psychotic. But even with all that baggage, Tsukune felt kinda bad about leaving her in a lurch like this. Leaving behind a note might have been more polite, but for all he knew, she would have simply come after him.

Tsukune was running on the narrow strip of land between the road and the cliff edge, with only a few trees and boulders for company. He stayed off the blacktop because the ground was softer to run on, and he didn't want to encounter any vehicles if he could avoid it. Tsukune could see into the tunnel now, and while it looked like a yawning cave, there seemed to be a pinpoint of light in the darkness. The sand speck sized brightness gave him hope that he'd be able to make good his escape. He hadn't seen any traffic so far, and it could only be a few miles until he made it to the other side-

There was no warning. None.

The massive blow struck Tsukune between his shoulder blades, driving him violently forward into the ground, knocking the wind out of him and leaving him momentarily senseless. As he lifted his head to try to get his equilibrium back, a second shot to his lower back launched him forward, making him black out momentarily when he crashed back down. Tsukune came to just in time for a razor sharp spike to slice into his right leg; screaming in pain he covered the bloody gash with his hands, warm blood making them sticky.

"Not so tough when you get surprised, huh?" an arrogant voice mocked.

Tsukune jerked up his head. Saizo. He must have been lurking behind the large boulder Tsukune had passed by moments ago. At least it looked like him, but his monster form was a mish-mash of different parts, and it took the injured human a few moments to recognize him as a monstrel He quickly reached for his aerosol, but Saizo smacked his hand as he brought it around, making the entire arm go numb, and sending the can beyond his reach.

"No human tricks, punk." Saizo sneered. "Let's see what you really got…"

Tsukune tried to keep pressure on his wounded leg. If that strike had hit the femoral artery, he'd have already bled to death, but he was losing a lot more blood than he thought he could. He cursed himself for losing his focus, thinking more about life after getting out than simply getting out. Now he was hurt, bleeding, and virtually helpless against someone who liked his opponents that way.

Patience wasn't one of Saizo's virtues either. Tired of not getting what he wanted from Tsukune, the thug began smashing him across the face with an open palm, the blows making the human see stars. "Enough with the 'resourceful human' act, transform and fight me!" Saizo shouted. "That Enforcer bitch isn't here to bust your balls, you pussy, now change!" The monstrel punctuated the challenge by stepping on the wound in Tsukune's leg.

Unimaginable pain shot through Tsukune's nervous system, and he nearly passed out again.

Saizo scowled deeper and began punching Tsukune in the face; the blows obviously weren't full force, or just one would have killed him, but they cut him, and his left eye was so swollen he couldn't see through it. After a few moment's contemplation, a thoughtful look completely out of place on his features, Saizo got a look of dawning comprehension. "You can't change, can you…" he spoke more to himself than to the badly hurt human in front of him. "You're not pretending to be human, you ARE human…"

Through his haze of pain, Tsukune managed to go pale. Someone had finally figured it out, and it was possibly the last monster he would have wanted to know. He'd been within sight of freedom, only to have it cruelly yanked away by some thug. Tsukune rolled over, trying to get his legs under him to make a last, frantic break for the tunnel, but his right leg refused to listen to him, and he was forced to try to drag himself towards the tunnel with his hands.

Saizo let out a loud, cruel laugh, as if he'd just heard the greatest joke ever told. "A human, pretending to be a monster, at Youkai Academy!" he chortled, enjoying the sight of the wounded human desperately trying to escape. With deliberate slowness he followed the scrabbling human, even going as far to helpfully kick a rock out of his way to give him an easier path. "Gotta give you credit, you're the bravest human I ever met," Saizo related with grudging sincerity, before he almost playfully kicked Tsukune's wounded leg. "But you're still too weak to beat me."

After a few minutes of watching the pathetic looking human vainly trying to get away, Saizo reached down and grabbed him by his neck, easily lifting him up at arm's length. "Tell you what, I'll let you decide how I'll kill you," he explained cheerfully. "I can crush your skull, pluck off your arms and legs, or crumple you into a ball. Whaddya say?"

Tsukune's lips moved a little, but virtually no sound came out.

"What was that? You'll need to speak louder, or I'll pick something worse." He brought the injured human in close, until they were practically nose to nose.

Tsukune's right eye snapped open and met Saizo's, a surprisingly triumphant look in it.

"Sucker…" he hissed.

The simple dinner knife he'd stolen an apparent lifetime ago, and sharpened methodically was still only a weapon in the broadest sense of the word. Tsukune had palmed it in his right hand, and with speed born from panic and adrenalin, drove the sharpened point through the surface of Saizo's left eye, giving the blade a quick twist as he pulled it back, the vitreous humor of the eyeball still pouring out as the human plunged it into the monstrel's right eye.

The monstrel screamed in agony and dropped Tsukune, its hands clutching at the ruined eyeballs, desperately trying to save his vision, well after the fact he was now blind. Saizo spewed obscenities, his eyelids blinking over ruined eye sockets, nostrils flared with the desire to punish the weak human that had done this to him.

As soon as Tsukune had hit the ground, he dragged himself away from the monster that was flailing blindly in a search for him. The human forced himself to his feet, and as soon as he was sure he wouldn't just fall over, called out to the monstrel thug. "You stupid motherfucker!" he taunted. "A chimp wouldn't have fallen for that! What does that make you, you dumb half-breed!"

Saizo bellowed in fury, his head facing the direction of the human's shouts, his now worthless eyes still trying to see. "You're dead!" he screamed.

"I took you out with a fucking table knife!" Tsukune shouted. "You, murdering humans? Only if they die laughing at how pathetic you are!"

Saizo could hear the human clearly, knowing he was close, and preparing to charge. "After I'm finished with you, I'll rape your mother to death!"

Tsukune laughed in contempt. "She'll just need a spoon to finish you off. You're nothing!"

The monstrel rushed towards the sound of the voice of the human it would kill slowly, bellowing in fury.

The human kept laughing loud, watching Saizo thunder blindly towards him. When the monstrel was close enough he could smell its breath, Tsukune mustered his strength and jumped to the left, hitting the ground hard, stifling his cry of pain. Saizo stampeded right where he'd been standing, and charged over the edge of the cliff.

XXX

Saizo's throat was burning with a horrified scream, which started when he'd felt the ground drop out from under him, and realized the human had lured him into running over the precipice. As he screamed, he could still hear the sounds of breakers crashing on the rocks getting louder, and the human shrieking, "Can you fly, you fucker?" It wasn't fair! Humans were weak, powerless, they needed tools to fight, he shouldn't even hav-

The scream cut off abruptly, and a sound like a carton of eggs being crushed came up from the rocks. Only louder. Much. MUCH louder. Still clenching the knife in his hand, Tsukune pushed himself up and managed to get back to his feet. Hobbling unsteadily, he cautiously approached the cliff edge, half expecting Saizo to loom up over it and strike him down. But peering down he could see the monstrels broken body on the rocks, a rapidly spreading pool of blood under him, his head split open and the contents splattered as far as he could see. Tsukune saw the rising tide washing away the blood, and crabs scuttling over to feed on the newly arrived bounty.

Tsukune decided he would never again eat any shellfish, not just crab.

Tsukune could feel his breathing getting harder and with one last breath he thrust his hands in the air, threw back his head and let out a bestial roar of triumph. The cry was loud, long, and didn't even sound human, closer to a Neanderthal after taking down a sabre-toothed tiger. When the shout ended, the adrenalin left his system and he stumbled, falling onto his side, his head spinning. Tsukune saw that his leg was covered with his blood, and he was amazed he'd managed to stay conscious.

"Can't be healthy, bleeding like that," he told himself in near delusion. Putting his head down, the human listened to the waves crashing on the rocks below, thinking that it almost felt like footsteps this high up, as he saw everything getting dark. He would rest for a while, then go through the tunnel later was his last thought before his mind shut down.

End of Chapter Six

Author's Notes:

Blah blah blah pre-read by random1377 and Mereo Flere Blah blah blah.


	7. Stalemate

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Rosario + Vampire:

He Who Fights Monsters…

Chapter Seven: Stalemate

Written by: Hawker_748

When he was a very young boy Tsukune had gone to Okinawa with his parents by ferry; the trip had been memorable, and not just because his father had dealt with chronic seasickness the entire journey, spending most of the time in the bathroom, or with his head over the rail. When he and his mother weren't trying to console the incredibly sick man – he'd needed to buy a plane ticket to get back home – Tsukune had come to enjoy the interesting feeling of being at sea, the gentle swaying motion of the large vessel rising up and down on the waves. It felt a little like he was floating to the young boy, and it was one of the strongest memories of his childhood.

Of course, since even mentioning the trip would make his father turn green and run for the bathroom for years afterward, it was no longer spoken about in the Aono household, and Tsukune had never been on the water again.

While he was unconscious, drifting in between the stages of being awake and dead to the world, Tsukune thought he felt the long remembered experience of rocking gently. It could have also have simply been delirium from his blood loss from where Saizo had sliced his leg open, but he would have sworn he was being delicately carried along by waves. He was barely able to discern flashes of darkness and light, not even sure if they were real or just figments of his imagination. After an undetermined period of time Tsukune's eyes finally cracked open, the lashes sticky with clotted blood, and his mouth as dry as cotton.

As the human tried to get his eyes to work again, he noticed that he was in a darkened room, and his body was racked with pain. 'This doesn't look like heaven,' Tsukune noted.

'Like you'd be going there after what you've done,' another voice in his mind replied coldly.

Slowly wiggling his fingers and toes, relieved that they both acknowledged his demands, even though it hurt like hell, Tsukune frantically worked his sticky tongue and lips, trying to work up some saliva to moisten his mouth. But the small amount he produced wasn't enough to keep his lips from cracking when he slowly opened his mouth, trying to take in the humidity from the ambient air. Tsukune tried to sit up, but he was startled, then frightened when he realized that he was restrained. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realized that he wasn't on a bed, he was laying in a web.

"…oh no…" Tsukune rasped quietly, his mouth going dry for an entirely different reason.

"So… You're finally awake…"

Tsukune would have released his bladder in fear, but it was empty now, another sign, besides his incredible thirst, of how dehydrated he was. Keito needed little effort to sound malicious, but when she did, the results were truly chilling. Slowly turning his head towards her voice, he was enormously relieved she wasn't in her monster form, but her Enforcer outfit was almost as disturbing.

"Is there something you haven't been telling me, Tsukune?"

Tsukune swallowed, both in fear and to try to moisten his mouth enough to speak. "Um, no…?"

Keito snarled, her eyes narrowing to slits. "Is it true?" she hissed. "What Saizo said?"

Tsukune wondered if Keito could hear his heart beating. He certainly could, it sounded like a bass drum in his ears. "I-I don't know, what did he say?" Tsukune asked with forced, and ineffective, nonchalance. He and Saizo had been alone, she was probably just bluffing, trying to scare him, cause him to admit something he shouldn't. She did have the scaring him part down pat, though.

"After you sent Saizo over the cliff and passed out," Keito began, he eyes as hard and cold as diamond, "I carried you back here, and then decided to look a little closer at your past, Tsukune."

Tsukune blanched. If she'd witnessed the fight, then he was probably doomed. When the spiderwoman showed him his wallet, he felt his heart stop.

Keito told him his name, birthday, and address. "With that information, I was able to find out much more about you," she related, picking up a folder from a table. "Mother, Kasumi Aono," she started, her eyes flashing over to Tsukune and noticing the horror forming on his face. "Your father is…" Keito frowned, giving the folder a careful look. "That's odd… My source couldn't find his first name… No matter, I can always ask him myself…"

Tsukune's fear was suddenly joined by a white hot flash of anger, and he struggled against his restraints, but he'd have better luck trying to break steel cable. "Goddamn you!" he snarled. "Leave them alone!"

"There's plenty of other information about you, your family, your friends, what few you do have," Keito added, her lips curled up in a hint of a smile as Tsukune glared at her in impotent fury "Still, I have no way of knowing if it's accurate, right? The best thing to do would be to find out for myself…"

After giving one final, crazed attempt to break free from the bonds, his muscles burning with the effort, Tsukune slumped back down, knowing that there was nothing he could do. "Fine," Tsukune spat. "Saizo was right, I'm human. Is that all?" he asked with bitter cheer. The look Keito gave him was as pitiless as a cat regarding a mouse it had cornered; or like a spider approaching a fly in her web.

"Why are you here…?" Keito rasped, her arachnid legs ripping through the panel on her Enforcer jacket. "What are you doing HERE…?"

"No idea," Tsukune admitted. "Someone sent my folks a brochure…" He knew he was doomed, and he saw no point in deception anymore.

"Why did you stay?"

"I'll tell you as soon as I figure that out." Tsukune made an effort to conceal his fear to the bitter end. Focusing on his anger at Keito made that easier. "Enough with the questions, just get this over with!"

"You know what happens to humans here, right?"

"Yeah, you've told me enough times…" Tsukune met Keito's murderous glare with a defiant sneer.

"Aren't you going to beg for your life?" Keito inquired.

Tsukune gave a dark chuckle. "Like that would make a difference." The human gathered his resolve and prepared himself for pain, knowing from bitter experience that his pain threshold was higher than it had ever been. He just hoped he could work up enough saliva to spit in her eyes before he died.

Keito's face rippled, and she went to her full monster form. Tsukune had seen it before and so he was prepared for it, but that didn't make it any less terrifying. "Normally, death is the penalty for humans at Youkai Academy," the spiderwoman chittered, her mandibles working and making it harder for Tsukune to keep up a defiant façade. "But with you, there are… complications…"

"Too much paperwork?" Tsukune quipped, mostly to keep from screaming.

Keito's face rippled again, and she resumed her more human appearance, though she kept her extra legs out. "No, our relationship…"

"What's that got to do with it?" Tsukune hadn't figured that Keito was the sentimental type.

"If you just disappear, rumors about you will spread, they always do."

"Yeah, you're right," Tsukune nodded, finding a little common ground with his likely executioner.

"And some of them will even be true," the spiderwoman hissed. "I am an important member of the Enforcers, and it would be… troublesome for me."

The truth suddenly dawned on Tsukune. "Like how you can't tell a guy's human, even after Frenching one?" The way Keito's face rippled again told him he'd gotten her range and coordinates with that comment.

After a few moments of trembling in open rage, Keito managed to compose herself again. She picked up a second folder from the table. "I'll pull a few strings to expedite your transfer to a human school," she told the bound human. "It'll still take a month or so, but then you won't have to taint the school with your presence anymore."

"So, that's it?"

"No, you'll still need to survive until then," the spiderwoman told him. "And if you tell anyone what you really are, I'll drain you of your fluids myself," she assured him. Keito then made a slashing move with one of her spider legs faster than Tsukune could see. Before he could cry out, he realized she'd cut his bonds, letting him go.

"If you try anything, I promise I won't die without a fight, and I'll make sure everyone knows I'm human," Tsukune countered.

"Understood…"

Hissing in pain, Tsukune slowly pushed himself up, noting the damp rag on his chest for the first time. He didn't know what it was wet with, but he put it in his mouth and sucked as much moisture as he could, the meagre amount not cutting his thirst, but at least moistening his mouth. Rubbing his eyes, Tsukune was surprised to discover that his left eye wasn't swollen, even though it felt tender. "H-how long was I out…?" he murmured.

"It's late Sunday afternoon," Keito related coldly, making the human's eyes go wide. "Your absence from class was excused, but you will return tomorrow."

"Almost a week," he said to himself. No wonder he was so hungry. Tsukune struggled to get to his feet, the web harder to get out of than a hammock, and he grit his teeth from the pain movement after so much stillness caused. Scooting to the edge of the web he placed his legs on the floor and stood carefully, somewhat relieved he could stand after so long. He finally noticed he was still wearing the same clothes he'd had on when he'd made his bid for freedom, and he was covered in dried blood. Taking a tentative step, and figuring he'd be able to make it home, something occurred to Tsukune. "Where am I?"

"My office," Keito hissed. "Exit is over there, use it."

Tsukune could make out the faint outline of a doorway in the gloom, and he carefully walked over to it. Pausing at the table he noticed his knife was on the top of it, and he picked it up and slipped it under his stinking, filthy shirt, pocketing his wallet as well. Opening the door he squinted from the sudden brightness, but when his dazzled eyes adjusted, he realized he was in the main school building. Ignoring the flashes of pain from his nervous system, and feeling glad that his ribs hadn't been broken yet again, Tsukune walked through the deserted hallways and staircase, heading for the exit.

Fortune appeared to smile on Tsukune again, and he was able to walk across the empty campus to his dormitory without encountering a single soul. Safe back in his room, the lights still on as before, door locked and barricaded, the battered human went into the washroom and turned on the taps. He longed to put his head under it and just drink, but he knew if he drank that quickly, it would simply be vomited back up. Tsukune cupped his hands and took bare sips, most of the water not even reaching his stomach, seemingly absorbed by the tissues in his mouth and throat.

After nearly half an hour of tantalizing sips that barely made a dent in his thirst, Tsukune finally took a wonderfully full swallow, feeling invigorated as the clear water ran down his throat. The human kept drinking, managing to finally cut the burning thirst, only stopping when he needed to urinate, drinking more as soon as he washed his hands.

Now only in the grip of hunger and pain from the lingering stiffness, Tsukune took a good look at himself in the mirror, grimacing at the detail revealed by the bright lights. While the swelling had gone down, he still had the fading remains of a nasty black eye, and a few assorted cuts and abrasions. However this was nothing new to him by now, and he peeled off the obscene shirt and threw it in the trash, not willing to waste the effort washing it. He had no more cuts on his chest and back, and aside from another bruise by his shoulder blades, there was nothing that would add any new scars to his collection.

After making sure that his upper body was as good as could be expected, Tsukune took off his shorts, underwear, and socks, not looking forward to what he might see. His legs were caked in dried blood, but other than where Saizo had sliced him, there was no real damage. Considering that he'd managed to walk home without his leg failing, it was probable that the injury hadn't been as bad as it had looked. But giving the wound a closer look, Tsukune noticed a white, vaguely gauze like bandage holding it together, and he carefully touched it, his hand jerking back when he realized what it was.

"Spider's silk," he breathed. Tsukune felt an impulse to rip it right off, but he checked himself when he realized that it seemed to be doing its job quite well. The wound was still closed, and hadn't breached even after a pretty good walk. Tsukune stretched his leg experimentally, and the bandage continued to hold. "Why'd she save me?" he asked himself.

It would have been easier for Keito to kill him when he'd passed out, or just leave him to die, or even push him over the cliff edge he'd sent Saizo off. It was also possible she hadn't believed he was human, and saved him out of some loyalty to her boyfriend, only to find out the truth afterwards. But for whatever the reason, he was still alive, and now he only had to survive until Keito managed to ram his transfer request through.

"The more things change…" Tsukune muttered with a shake of his head. He stepped into the shower for a long, exhilarating shower, the water running pink for some time until the blood was sluiced off. After shampooing twice, and scrubbing himself almost raw with soap, Tsukune stood in front of the mirror feeling and looking human again. The spider silk bandage hadn't moved from the shower, and his leg wound wasn't seeping.

Getting dressed, Tsukune went to the cafeteria, stuffing a dozen wrapped sandwiches in his bag and bringing them to his room. He didn't want to be the center of attention while he ate, and he was glad no one seemed to notice him. The human figured he'd taken too much food, but as ravenous as he felt, he couldn't be sure. He ate slowly, giving his stomach plenty of time to respond to the sudden intake of food after several days of going without. As time passed slowly, Tsukune ended up finishing four of them before he finally sated his hunger.

Feeling better than he had any right to after all that had happened, Tsukune left his room once more to call his family, feeling especially relieved when they answered. He spoke to both his mom and dad, keeping up a brave front, and telling them nothing of what had happened, or his as yet unscheduled but imminent transfer. Tsukune silently resolved to call home more often for a while, just to make sure things were safe, promising he'd pluck Keito's legs with his bare hands if she tried to harm them. Bidding them goodbye with a little more emotion than was normal for him, the solitary human returned to his room. Tsukune thought he saw someone looking around a corner at him out of the corner of his eye, but when he took a more direct look, no one was there.

In spite of all the time he'd spent 'asleep,' Tsukune still felt tired, and he decided to turn in early, figuring he didn't want to be late for his first day back at class. Getting undressed and slipping under the covers, Tsukune realized something; for his first three victims, he'd felt some degree of sadness and regret, though there hadn't been that much in Harunobu's case. But with Saizo there was none. He'd let out a primal, triumphant yell at the monstrel's death, and even now he felt his lips involuntarily curling up in a faint smirk. As he closed his eyes, he worried that even if Keito managed to arrange for him to transfer out tomorrow, it would already be too late.

XXX

After being roused from a fitful sleep by his alarm, Tsukune trudged into the shower, washing away the sweat from another night filled with terror, and rinsing his groin to clear away evidence of his involuntary orgasm, feeling strange that he was still apparently aroused by Keito. Cleaned and dressed, Tsukune made sure his weapons were secure, took a moment to gather his resolve, and left the room to go for breakfast. As he moved through the hallways, he knew he was the subject of various whispers as he passed his fellow classmates, more than a few of them watching him warily. After getting his breakfast, Tsukune approached his usual table, and felt his lips tighten up when he saw that it was occupied this morning.

Tsukune was debating whether to take a seat as far as possible from the other students, or simply find a new place to eat, when one of them looked up and happened to meet the human's gaze. The monster seemed to choke on his food as his eyes went wide, gesturing wildly in his direction. His companions turned to look and all their eyes went wide simultaneously. In other circumstances, the way the four of them grabbed their trays and scrambled to their feet might have seemed comical, but Tsukune was too surprised to see the humor. After getting over his surprise, he shrugged and took his usual seat, noticing the chair was still warm from the monster who'd been sitting there.

As he ate breakfast for the first time in nearly a week, Tsukune could tell he was being watched, even without having to look. When he glanced up, he happened to see Keito walking by with another student he didn't recognize. The spiderwoman made eye contact with him, and she gave Tsukune a look so icy it made him shiver. Turning on her heel, she stalked out of the cafeteria, leaving the girl she'd been chatting with chasing after her to catch up.

'I guess this means we're through,' Tsukune thought after he got over the momentary awkwardness of the situation. 'It's probably for the best,' he consoled himself. They had nothing in common; he was an ordinary human, she was a xenophobic spiderwoman. Really, no amount of relationship counselling could get past the fact she'd probably eat him after sex. Still, as dangerous as Keito might be, she had been his first girlfriend, and taken his first kiss, and he couldn't forget that.

No matter how hard he tried.

Returning his attention back to his meal, and pretending to ignore how the chatter at other tables grew in intensity, Tsukune finished eating, placed his tray on the rack, and started towards class. He was pleased to note that the spider silk bandage was still holding, and he could walk normally, with only a small twinge in his leg, and after all the abuse he'd absorbed since arriving, it hardly registered. Another dose of painkillers would have probably taken care of it, but he didn't want to become dependent on the white pills, worried that they wouldn't work if he really needed them again.

Reaching his class, the human walked in as he had many times before, but this was the first time everyone else had turned and stared, more than a few of them looking like textbook examples of shock. Tsukune took his seat and opened his books, noticing the look of delight that flashed over the face of the girl who sat next to him, before she looked away, struggling to keep her composure as a blush tinged her cheeks. A couple of classmates looked like they wanted to say something, but then Ms. Nekonome walked in, and everyone sat down for the lesson.

Tsukune answered when his name was called in the roll, but when Saizo's name was supposed to be called, Ms. Nekonome skipped it, causing a murmur to run through the class. 'Guess they know he's dead,' Tsukune observed silently, noticing that no one seemed upset at the news. He was surprised to see Moka looking at him with a look that wasn't openly hostile. The nod she gave him was even more of a surprise, before she returned her attention to the class. For a moment, it looked as if her expression would change a little more, but she resumed an indifferent look. The monstrel had been a bully and a thug, but the fact that no one seemed to care should have bothered the human. But he found that he couldn't bring himself to feel sorry for Saizo either. All of his previous kills had haunted him in some way, even Harunobu. But not the last one; Tsukune felt no remorse or guilt, and he couldn't feel upset by that either. As Ms. Nekonome started the class, the human pushed down all these thought and concentrated on the lesson.

XXX

"I heard he killed Saizo, then spent the rest of the week eating the corpse," a classmate of Tsukune related to a friend during a study period. "They never found the body, right?"

'That's original,' Tsukune noted as he read the assigned chapter of his text book. His classmates had been speculating on what had happened to Saizo, and this was the oddest idea yet. He wasn't surprised that no one had suggested that the monstrel had been expelled, or simply quit; everyone suspected that he'd met a violent end. But when Tsukune considered what he'd seen, and done, he admitted that they were probably justified.

"That's not quite what I heard," another classmate replied.

"Whaddya mean, 'not quite?'" the first student demanded.

"It wasn't in that order…"

There was a long period of silence, during which time Tsukune thought he saw a few students shuddering. Then the first student spoke again. "Listen, he's sitting right there, let's just ask him."

"You go ahead."

"Fine, I will…" After another brief period of silence, the monster called out, "Excuse me, Aono…?"

Tsukune put down his book and turned to look over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"I – we – were just wondering, what-what happened to Saizo?" the classmate managed to force out.

Keeping his face impassive, the human considered how to answer that. Definitely not with the truth, but he couldn't boast either, or he might have to back it up. "How should I know?" he decided. If he let them imagine it, they'd come up with something awful enough to convince them to leave him alone until he left. Tsukune then resumed his reading, noting that all the talk had ceased, letting him continue studying in peace.

When lunch came around, Tsukune gathered his books and left the class, almost stopping dead in his tracks when three Enforcers strode up, Keito flanked by two of the largest people he'd ever seen. He almost reached for his knife, ready to make a last stand when he realized they were ignoring him, some other destination in mind. But the look of disgust and open hatred Keito gave him as she passed made Tsukune flinch. And then the black clad trio were gone, probably to punish some poor bastard for daring to oppose them. The human silently wished the subject of their attention good luck, and made his way to the cafeteria, trying to conceal how rattled the brief encounter had made him.

Lunch was pleasantly solitary, other students talking about him, but no one deciding to come up and talk to him. That was fine with Tsukune; if everyone left him alone, he might be able to get out of Youkai Academy without any more confrontations. When he returned to the classroom after eating, he noticed some students apparently breaking off conversations, but he didn't want to make anything out of it. Who cared what they thought about him, as long as all they did was talk. When his teacher walked in, Tsukune was a little surprised to see that Ms. Nekonome seemed more like her usual, cheerful self.

He was unexpectedly pleased to see that; her spirited energy was what made her class enjoyable, and not just for her inherent eye-candy status. Tsukune and the rest of the class spent the afternoon going through different lessons with their homeroom teacher, up until the dismissal bell rang. Packing up his books in his bag, Tsukune was about to leave when Ms. Nekonome called out to him. "Excuse me, Tsukune, could you help me carry something?"

"Sure," the human replied after a moment. He didn't want to be seen as a teacher's pet, but he helped her before, and he couldn't think of any acceptable reason to refuse her. And it wasn't as if he had running or any other plans that evening.

Shizuka smiled in appreciation. "It's that box over there," she pointed out to the only other occupant of the class.

Tsukune stared. 'That box' was maybe the size of a shoebox, and unless it was full of lead bars, even a three year old could have carried it. With guarded curiosity he picked it up; it wasn't empty, but it was pretty close. "Where do you want it?" Somehow, this didn't seem like she needed his help.

"Just follow me," Ms. Nekonome called out as she walked out of the class. With a rueful shake of his head, the human took his burden, resisting an impulse to balance it on one finger, and let his teacher lead him away. She used the same path she had the first time she'd asked him to carry a few boxes, but his ribs weren't cracked this time, and the load was almost non-existent. The hallways were just as empty this time, and their footsteps echoed through the corridors until Ms. Nekonome spoke on the staircase. "I heard about you and Keito…"

Tsukune silently congratulated himself for guessing his teachers intentions correctly. "It's true," he admitted. The human couldn't help but notice the relieved look on Ms. Nekonome's face.

"I'm sorry to hear about that." Her tone of voice didn't match the words she said. "What happened?"

"I guess we're too different," Tsukune replied after some consideration. That was true, but it wasn't the whole truth either.

"That's true," Shizuka replied with a nod. "I always thought you two weren't right for each other…"

"Why's that?" Tsukune wondered, his eyebrows raised. He was curious why a teacher thought she understood her student's feelings.

"She's so cruel, violent," she explained easily. "You seem like a more gentle person."

Gentle person? He'd killed four students, and she thought he was GENTLE? "I don't think so," Tsukune muttered darkly.

"Deep down, you are," she assured him as they continued through the halls. When they reached the teacher's room, she took a more serious tack. "Listen, I'm sorry if you're feeling hurt about breaking up…"

Tsukune grunted noncommittally. He still hadn't come to terms with how he'd felt about Keito.

"But believe me," Ms. Nekonome continued. "A guy as nice as you, you'll find another woman out there who'll appreciate you." She then reached over and ruffled his hair.

Tsukune blushed, thankful that no one was around to see this. But that was probably how she'd planned it. "Want me to put the box in the closet?"

"I'll take care of it, thanks." She took the box from his hands and walked to her desk. "See you tomorrow morning," she called out over her shoulder with a cheerful grin.

Idly using his right hand to straighten out his hair, and realizing that this was the first time a cat had ever rubbed him, Tsukune walked out of the quiet school and headed back towards his dorm. After dropping off his bag in his room, Tsukune went to the cafeteria for an early dinner, hoping that with fewer people there, there'd be less chance of being the subject of conversation. It wasn't as quiet as he had hoped, but he didn't feel like coming back later, so he got his meal, went to his regular table and began to eat.

"Pardon me," a gentle voice called out.

Tsukune looked up and was a little surprised to see the long haired girl who sat next to him in class across the table. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry to bother you like this," she apologized. "But would you mind if I joined you for a few minutes?"

"Go ahead," Tsukune told her, going on alert if this was just the start of yet another confrontation.

"Thank you," the girl replied gratefully. "I'll only need a little of your time."

"What's this about?" Tsukune wondered, discretely pulling out a lighter.

"Is it true you're no longer with that Enforcer girl?"

Why his so-called love life was such a big deal at Youkai Academy completely escaped Tsukune. "Yeah, I'd say it's true… um…" The human realized he couldn't recall her name to save his life.

His classmate seemed to comprehend his difficulty. "I'm Saori, Saori Kikuchi…"

"Thanks," Tsukune replied. "Keito and I aren't seeing each other anymore." The human had a sudden sinking feeling come over him. "Why do you ask?" he continued, suspecting he already knew.

"I wouldn't want to do something unseemly, like asking someone out who's already dating," she explained demurely, keeping her eyes averted.

Tsukune pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "I don't think I'm ready to be asked out…" Being press-ganged into a relationship with Keito had made him leery of the opposite sex.

Saori brought up her hands, an almost cute look of panic on her face. "No no no," she insisted. "I'm not asking to be your 'rebound girl'."

Tsukune blinked. "Then why are you asking…?"

Saori smiled shyly. "I just wanted to make sure, and let you know," she explained. "And I didn't want the others to get a chance to do it first."

"…Others…? What others…?"

Extending a delicate finger, Saori pointed directly to a table a short distance away. Tsukune glanced in that direction and was a little surprised to see a group of girls watching him, before they all started looking in any other direction but towards him, some of them apparently finding their meals suddenly fascinating, even though they all seemed to be blushing. "Them for a start…"

Tsukune tried not to grimace; He hadn't figured out how he'd felt about his relationship with Keito, and now there seemed to be a waiting list to take her place. Fortunately, his time there was now short, and all he needed to do was act indecisively about a relationship until it was time to leave. Saori seemed to be fine with waiting, and he hoped the others would be the same. "I don't know when I'll be ready," he explained. "It could be some time."

"I understand," Saori assured him "I wouldn't want to force you."

The human gave a genuine smile. "Thank you."

Saori returned it. "My pleasure. If you'll excuse me…" The girl stood up before returning her gaze back to Tsukune. "May I please ask you another question?"

Tsukune shrugged. "Go ahead." If nothing else, Saori was a polite monster.

"Would you mind if I talk to you in class some time?"

"Not at all."

"And could I join you for lunch on occasion…?"

"If you want…" Tsukune remarked.

"I'd also like to join you at dinner-" Saori added.

"I said it's fine," Tsukune pointed out.

"And what about breakfa-"

"It's fine, you don't need to ask permission for everything," Tsukune rebuked gently. He supposed it was nice to be asked his opinion occasionally, but this was getting ridiculous.

"Oh, I'm sorry…" Saori looked mortified.

"It's alright, don't worry about it."

"Excuse me." Tsukune's newest suitor looked almost ashamed as she left him to his meal.

The human wanted to let out a bitter laugh; women had always avoided him like he was toxic before, but now he seemed to be on the verge of setting up a harem. That thought made him roll his eyes at his own delusions. 'Yeah, like that'd ever happen.' With his luck, the monster girls were all mistaking attraction for simply being hungry. 'I had one girlfriend who was likely to eat me, who needs another?'

Still, the loneliness had been almost unbearable, and the time spent with Keito had been a tonic for that, even if it terrified him. Once he transfer was finished, Tsukune vowed he'd never, ever, get upset by women not showing interest in him; he'd had enough of that here to last a lifetime. Trying not to look towards the table of prospective girlfriends, Tsukune finished his meal and returned to his room. Doing push-ups until his shoulders ached and his arms were quivering, a textbook open on the floor so he could read as he worked out, the human exercised himself to exhaustion and slipped into bed for another poor night of sleep.

XXX

Tsukune pounded down the path through the dead forest, his breathing hard and his fist tightly clenched. The week he'd spent unconscious in Keito's office had hurt his performance more than he would have expected. He'd only passed the halfway point, but Ichiro was dead even with Tsukune, his pace virtually identical. It wasn't as if the human blew Ichiro's doors off when they ran, but it usually took the werewolf to the very end of the run to get into a position to challenge Tsukune for the lead. Having him this close this early made Tsukune worry that he was losing his edge.

It didn't help that the wound on his leg gave a mild twinge with each stride. It wasn't painful, or even uncomfortable, but the mild irritation it provided appeared to be affecting his run cycle, even though Tsukune was running as hard as he did normally. Or maybe Ichiro had just resolved that today was the day he finally beat Tsukune in a run.

Tsukune didn't like the idea of any monster being able to chase him down, even someone as friendly as the cross-country president. Speed was the only real defence he had, and more to the point, his pride was on the line; no one had ever been able to catch him before, and he be damned if he'd start now. Clenching his fists even tighter, Tsukune dug deep and picked up the pace, Ichiro just managing to keep even. The two runners run through the forest along the path, the sounds of their footfalls and breathing the only sounds.

Blinking sweat out of his eyes, the human dredged up every bad experience he'd had since arriving, using it to feed his determination, and prove that humans weren't to be underestimated. Not that he'd ever be able to admit that, but even if he was the only one that knew, that was enough for him. The distance went by swiftly, both runners making an effort to run the other into the ground, and certain that the other guy would falter first. Tsukune grit his teeth as the injury began to let him know it didn't like the exertion, even with the spider silk bandage. The human pushed himself through the pain, vowing he'd bleed to death before he'd give in.

A quick sideways glance at Ichiro revealed he wasn't in much better shape either, the pace of this run far faster than either was accustomed to. But he had his own pride motivating him; the president of the cross-country club having been outrun by a freshman every single time. Ichiro had always been cheerful and congratulatory after the runs, but he'd never stopped trying to beat Tsukune either. Both men struggled to keep their form as exhaustion took its toll, the bodies having been pushed past the normal limits.

Finally the finish line was in sight, Tsukune and Ichiro neck and neck, neither asking for or giving quarter. Ichiro picked up his pace a touch, seemingly spurred on by a chance of finally defeating the swift of foot freshman in a run. Tsukune gave everything he had to keep ahead, running as if his life hung in the balance, and for more than a few times it had.

"You got 'im Ichiro, he's yours!" a fellow club member called out from far behind the two leaders.

"Keep going Tsukune! Don't lose!" another voice called out.

The notion that monsters were cheering for him could have made the human chuckle, but Tsukune needed every molecule of oxygen he could get. Remembering the panic of the first run, Tsukune tried to use that to pull ahead, and it seemed to help somewhat, even though without the sense of real danger he couldn't replicate that feat. The finish line was less than twenty yards away and Ichiro pulled ahead by perhaps a few inches.

Exerting everything he had left, and a little more, Tsukune managed to pull even with Ichiro, reaching the tape perhaps a hundredth of a second ahead of the club president, before he collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath. Ichiro was laying on the dirt next to him, trying to throw up, but unable to find anything to vomit. The two competitors shared their misery, each giving the other a respectful nod as they struggled to get their wind back. After five minutes of gasping, wheezing, and moaning, Ichiro extended his hand to Tsukune. "Great run," he whispered hoarsely. "I'll never be able to beat you, will I…"

"S-sorry," Tsukune rasped as he shook the offered hand. "Nothing personal."

"N-no worries, I'm proud of you," Ichiro replied weakly. "I'd be upset if you didn't try." The werewolf's face grew serious for a moment. "I'm sorry you ran into trouble when you went off alone."

Tsukune shook his head. "Don't worry about it, ancient history."

"What happened out there?" Ichiro wondered.

"Nothing important," Tsukune replied dismissively.

Ichiro saw the look in the human's eyes and took the hint to let the subject drop. "Oh yeah, sorry about you and your girl…"

"Beg pardon?"

The werewolf looked decidedly sheepish. "Word gets around, you and Keito broke up…?"

"You could say that," Tsukune allowed.

"Like I said, sorry 'bout that."

"Thanks," Tsukune replied sincerely after a moment. He was actually touched by Ichiro's concern.

"Wanna talk about it?" the club president asked.

"Not now, maybe later."

Ichiro rose to his feet, his breathing returning to normal, extending a hand to help up Tsukune. The human took hold of it and braced himself as he was yanked forcefully, but not cruelly, to his feet. "You take care…"

"Thanks buddy," Tsukune remarked, relieved that being pulled to his feet hadn't felt like his arm was going to be torn off. Either Ichiro hadn't pulled with his usual force, or he was just getting stronger from the continuous physical punishment. Nodding as they parted ways, Tsukune started back for his dormitory, thinking of a hot shower and painkillers. As he walked, he realized that when his transfer came through, he'd actually miss running with Ichiro; he'd been a pretty good guy, the closest Tsukune had had to a friend.

Even if his true form would have made Tsukune lunge for something silver…

After a wonderful, cleansing shower, change of clothes, and an early dinner, Tsukune decided to turn in early for the night. But as tired as he felt, sleep didn't come easy, and he spent much of the evening with his hands behind his head staring up at the ceiling, thinking about his upcoming departure from Youkai Academy. Despite all the times he'd wanted nothing more than to get away, Tsukune was surprised that he was experiencing a few pangs of regret at this idea.

End of Chapter Seven

Author's Notes:

As usual, pre-read by random1377 and mereo flere.

Thanks for the reviews so far, and for the tvtropes love.


	8. Rubicon

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Rosario + Vampire:

He Who Fights Monsters…

Chapter Eight: Rubicon

Written by: Hawker_748

Tsukune put down his pen and flexed his cramping hand; he was spending a lot of time studying lately, even though he knew he would be transferring away in a matter of weeks. He wanted his transition to go smoothly, and that meant making sure he was all caught up on his subjects so he'd be able to join a new class with a minimum of unfamiliarity. But studying also made the time go faster, and pushed away the isolation and boredom he'd fallen into.

'Well, not really bored,' Tsukune corrected himself. 'More like routine…'

The human would never have been able to imaging it when he'd first arrived at Youkai Academy, but he'd become accustomed to the fear and violence that were prevalent there. His sleep was still haunted by constant nightmares, coupled with images that were as disturbing as they were torrid, but he'd gotten to the point that the cruelty he occasionally witnessed no longer horrified him. In the relatively short time he'd been there Tsukune had already murdered four classmates, and each had been easier to live with than the previous. If he was there much longer, there was the worrying prospect that he'd come to enjoy taking lives.

However, things had been pretty quiet for him since killing Saizo a few weeks back, and the brief respite had given him a chance to let his oft-injured body recover, even being able to remove the spider silk bandage from his leg. The gauzy looking dressing had been harder to remove than he'd expected, and Tsukune had been forced to use his makeshift knife to carefully cut it off. It was another rather ugly addition to his collection of battlescars, but Tsukune was relieved that there hadn't been any lasting damage done. Picking his pen back up, the human turned his efforts to his mathematics textbook. He was still immersed in the cold, clinical discussion of calculus when his ink ran out.

Taking this as a sign to give it a rest for a while, Tsukune glanced at the clock. The cafeteria would be opening shortly for dinner, and since he'd spent the entire Sunday holed up in his room, he figured he needed to eat at least once. Since fewer students ate early, going now would reduce the chances of having some kind of confrontation, or being the subject of gossip at other tables. After arming up, with an ease that spoke volumes on how often he'd done it, Tsukune headed for the cafeteria.

After filling his tray, Tsukune proceeded to his usual table, sat down and opened his textbook. He wasn't actually studying, but if he looked busy, people tended to let him be, which was what he really wanted.

"Tsukune…"

The now familiar voice made the human look up. Saori was standing opposite to him, her own tray in her hands, and a shy smile on her face. "Good evening Saori," he greeted politely.

"Same to you," she replied gently. "May I join you…?"

She'd never failed to ask him, and he'd never refused, mostly out of concern of what she'd be like if he jilted her. At first her inherent politeness had been refreshing, but it was starting to get a little irritating. "Have I ever said no?" he asked innocently.

"No," she admitted. "But it would be rude of me to presume."

Tsukune shrugged. "Go ahead." He supposed there were always worse personality malfunctions someone could have than excessive politeness. As was his habit whenever Saori, or some other girl approached him, Tsukune gave a discrete glance around, wondering if his previous girlfriend Keito was skulking about. She'd dropped him like a hot potato after learning he was human, but she'd integrated herself into his life so much he still hadn't gotten used to not having her around.

Satisfied his violent ex wasn't lurking around, Tsukune let himself give Saori a gentle smile. He felt rather guilty that he was just having her near him to keep some of the other girls who were inexplicably interested in him at bay. He was going to string her along until he transferred out, figuring it was probably safer doing that than having his other suitors take a more active role. Saori seemed like a sweet girl, and he would have felt awful about his treatment of her, but he reasoned that his life would be in danger otherwise, and he'd had enough of that to drive home the importance of survival.

"How are your classes going?" she asked.

"About the same," Tsukune replied. They shared most of the same classes, but they were apart a few times each day. "How about you?"

Saori pouted cutely. "I really don't like phys-ed," she complained. "Especially running. How do you do it?"

Tsukune stifled a grim chuckle. 'Necessity,' he thought. "It's just one foot in front of the other."

"But I get tired, my feet hurt," she whined.

"It's all in the motivation."

"So what's yours?" she wondered.

"It's a secret," Tsukune explained with a wink. 'Survival.'

Saori pondered that in silence as the two of them ate. After she'd eaten about half her meal, she gave Tsukune a thoughtful look. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead…"

"What are you?"

Tsukune froze, his fork halfway to his mouth. "Excuse me?" he murmured.

"What kind of monster," Saori clarified unnecessarily. "Wendigo? Zombie? Devil?"

"We're supposed to keep that secret," Tsukune explained, working to conceal his sudden discomfort.

Saori gave a knowing look. "I bet Keito knows."

"She never asked." Technically, that was true. She'd accused him of being human, but never asked what he was.

Saori looked a little disappointed, but she let the matter drop, watching Tsukune return his attention to his textbook. "Sorry for asking."

Tsukune shrugged without looking up. "It's alright, but I won't tell anyone. Nothing personal." The two of them sat in an uncomfortable silence, until the human closed his book and finished off his meal "I should get back to my room," he remarked as he got to his feet. "I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"Pleasant dreams."

"That'd be a first," Tsukune muttered under his breath.

"Pardon me?"

Tsukune blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry, you too." He walked away before his wannabe girlfriend could further the conversation, making his way back to the sanctuary of his room. Safely behind his barricaded door, Tsukune let out a weary sigh. Saori was getting more and more determined to have him see her as a girlfriend, despite her initial insistence that she'd be patient. The fact she was in most of his classes made it harder to avoid her, and while she was unfailingly polite about it, even he could see she wanted more than their current friendly relationship. He would have cut ties with her by now, but there were several others willing to take her place, and they might not be as easygoing as she was.

Glancing at his calendar, Tsukune counted the days until the first semester break, now less than two weeks away. It was likely that his transfer wouldn't come through until after he'd returned, meaning the brief taste of freedom would be yanked away. If he wasn't so worried about how she'd react, he'd have pressed Keito to make it happen even sooner. But considering the fact she'd saved his life, and then let him go when she could have just as easily killed him, Tsukune didn't want to press his luck.

It was already pretty damn thin…

Tsukune found it somewhat worrying that he felt even lonelier without Keito in his life anymore, a sense of isolation that time with Saori did nothing to alleviate. Considering how the Enforcer had brusquely threatened his family, he should have felt nothing but disgust, but the time spent with her hadn't been all bad, which was probably why he hadn't made a move to exterminate her. Realizing he was falling into a familiar habit of reminiscing about Keito, Tsukune sat down at his desk and resumed his studying, working hard to keep his mind occupied until it was time to sleep.

XXX

Tsukune paused briefly at the entrance to his classroom, his eyes giving the class a quick scan to make sure nothing was amiss, before slipping in and heading for his desk. As he opened his book bag, he continued to discretely glance at his fellow students, letting his guard drop slightly when nothing seemed overtly threatening. There hadn't been any potential risks since he'd killed Saizo, but Tsukune still continued to keep up the routine, even after countless cases of being all clear. 'How much time did I waste doing that?' he asked himself.

'Not. One. Second.'

Opening his textbook and returning the shy smile Saori gave him when she arrived, Tsukune took a longer look at the rest of the class, this time not needing to be covert. He was no longer surprised to see Moka averting her eyes when he looked in her direction, but he knew that she'd been watching him when he arrived. The fact the school idol seemed to be showing signs of being interested in him struck the human as crazy, but considering all that happened at Youkai Academy that seemed to be par for the course.

The rest of the students might see her as a vision of loveliness, but to Tsukune, she was still the pink haired bimbo who'd damn near ran him over with her bike when he'd arrived. If she'd at least apologized Tsukune would have been willing to let that go, but the callous way she'd continued on unconcerned had soured him on her for good. He didn't wish her any ill will, but he'd rather get involved with anyone else (maybe even Ichiro) than give her the time of day. When Ms. Nekonome walked in to start the lesson, the human pushed aside all other thoughts to concentrate on the class.

Ms. Nekonome was her usual cheerful self; she continued to smile even when she scratched some luckless classmate who pointed out that her tail was sticking out from under her skirt. As Tsukune jotted down notes from the lecture, he found himself realizing that he'd miss the lively teacher when he transferred out, and he held out faint hope that one day she'd get a job wherever he ended up. Then again, if she couldn't do a better job of concealing her cat-like traits, she wouldn't do much for keeping up the masquerade of being human.

When the lunch bell rang, all the students packed up to make their way to the cafeteria. Tsukune was wondering if Saori would join him at this meal as well, absently slipping his books into his bag with his arsenal, when a voice called out for him.

"Excuse me, Aono…"

Tsukune hadn't expected that Moka would approach him. Her current apparent interest notwithstanding, she usually avoided him like the plague. "Yes…?"

"Do you mind if I ask you a question? About humans," she clarified.

Tsukune instantly went on guard. "Why me?"

"That's easy," Moka replied. "You're so brutal and violent, you're the most humanlike one here…"

For a moment Tsukune was certain she knew, but her eyes held no sign of concealment or guile; she simply thought he was an expert on human behaviour. He was, in fact. Just not for the reason she thought. "What do you want to know?" Her curiosity might be innocent, but it hit too close to home.

"I have a friend, she wants to know, how does a human girl tell a guy she likes him?"

'Don't run him over with a bike,' Tsukune thought unkindly. "Just be honest," he muttered, in no mood to help someone else with their love life when his was a train wreck.

"Hey! She just wants to know, that's all," Moka insisted.

Moka's sincerity got through to Tsukune, even though he wanted nothing more than to blow her off and go eat. Giving his head a resigned shake, the human looked the monster right in the eyes. "Like I said, just be honest. Come out and tell him." Lifting his satchel, Tsukune left the girl in the class alone to ponder his words.

When he finally reached the cafeteria, Tsukune took a smaller lunch, knowing there was a cross country run after school, and that having a too full stomach would make him cramp up. Bitter experience had taught him that running with a cramp was a step down from lingering death, and he wasn't going to make that mistake again. Pulling out a textbook as he ate, Tsukune used a highlighter to mark important sections, his eyes following the words on the page.

Halfway through the chapter, Tsukune glanced up, his eyes going wide when he saw Keito walking by a few aisles over, talking with a male student he didn't recognize. He couldn't hear what was being discussed, but whatever the guy said made the spiderwoman smile in amusement.

SNAP!

Tsukune flinched from the unexpected pain in his right hand, looking down and surprised to see that he'd broken the highlighter when his hand had clenched reflexively into a fist. The neon orange ink was staining his hand, the plastic remains of the marker a mess in his palm. His appetite suddenly evaporated and he used his clean hand to shove his book into his bag and stalked off, not even putting his partially eaten meal away. Tsukune marched towards the washroom, not noticing, or even caring, that as he exited the cafeteria he brushed against a black clad figure. As the human barged into the washroom, he paid no attention to the tall blond figure, with a sharp chin and ears, slowly flexing his white gloved hands as his eyes narrowed.

Scrubbing his hands under hot water, furiously lathering up to get the Day-Glo orange ink off, Tsukune was adamantly telling himself that he must have just had some kind of muscle spasm. There was certainly no way in hell that the strange tightness in his chest was jealousy. "Must have gone overboard with the push-ups," he muttered darkly, now using his fingernails to try to scrape off the ink. There was no need for him to get so upset over such a trivial thing as breaking a highlighter, so why was his jaw clenched so tight? Scrubbing until the skin on his hands was raw, Tsukune finally got rid of the ink, dried off with paper towels, and stalked back to class, knowing he was early, but not wanting to be anywhere near the cafeteria.

Taking his seat and losing himself in the notes he'd written, Tsukune made a point of ignoring everything and everyone until class resumed. He couldn't wait until after class, the run would help him work through this strange feeling he had. The human knew he was smouldering, but he tried to calm himself down, letting out a breath when class started back up again, focusing on the lecture to regain his composure. By the time the first class had finished, Tsukune felt almost normal again, even managing to return a smile from Saori during a break. But considering that she didn't make her usual effort to talk with him during a free period, Tsukune figured that he was putting out an aura that something was a little off.

He was a little surprised when he realized that the idea of maybe officially hooking up with Saori, even if it was only for a brief while, was more appealing than it had been before lunch. Shaking his head in disgust, Tsukune continued to suppress any thoughts about relationships, finding it difficult to keep his attention on the lecture when images of two women danced in his mind instead of one. With a palpable sense of relief Tsukune saw that classes were finally over for the day, wanting nothing more than to run as hard as he could, and if running the cross country club into the ground wasn't enough to exhaust him, then he'd do push ups until his arms fell off.

The dismissal bell rang its strident tune and Tsukune wasted no time in packing up his books, giving Saori a cursory wave as she walked out of the class, on her way to her own club. Standing up, taking a moment to regain his center, the human noticed that a few of his female classmates were giving him timid smiles, while Moka Akashiya looked different than normal. It was kind of unusual to see the school idol looking anything but either composed, or regarding him with disgust. Tsukune decided to wait a few moments, to give the hallways a chance to clear up a bit before leaving. There was no way he'd be late for his club, even after going back to his room to change, and the notion of something different occurring compelled him to stick around to make sure it wouldn't come back later to bite him on the ass. He wasn't about to stare however, so he just looked around to try to look like he wasn't overtly interested.

"C'mon, he's right there, do it…"

Tsukune heard someone admonishing someone behind him, and he discretely looked over his shoulder. One of Moka's friends was behind her, her lips hear her ear.

"I-I can't," the most popular girl in the school whispered back, loud enough for everyone left in the class to hear. "What if he just laughs?"

"Then we'll get over it with a carton of ice cream," the first voice admonished. "Do it before he leaves!"

"I'm not sure about this!"

"Then grow a spine! You just need some help," the friend insisted. "Rumiko, give me a hand…"

Tsukune didn't like where this was headed, and that maybe now was a good time to get out. Hefting his bag, Tsukune turned towards the door when a panicked yelp drew his gaze. His eyes went wide when he saw Moka hurtling towards him, her friends apparently deciding to give her a hand in the literal sense. Acting instinctively to protect the both of them, Tsukune put up his hands to try to catch Moka somewhat, feeling a blush when his left hand was filled with a warm squishy mass, while his right closed around something cold and metal.

After a half second of incomprehension, Moka apparently realized where Tsukune was grabbing her, and she let out an embarrassed cry, pulling back hard, a scandalized look on her face. Mortified by the unintended contact, Tsukune held up his hands in an apology, belatedly realizing he was still holding onto the Rosario that Moka always wore.

"I-I'm sorry!" Tsukune stammered. "I didn't mean it, really! It was… an… accident…?" he trailed off, noticing the look of dawning horror on the girl's face as she stared at the accessory that was in his grasp.

A breeze began to pick up, despite the fact they were still inside, and this seeming contradiction left Tsukune momentarily incredulous. When the wind began to blow like a typhoon, with Moka seemingly at the eye of it, Tsukune had to put up his hands to keep the wind from blowing dust into his eyes, barely able to make out the pink haired girl in the center of the chaos. Then the commotion died away as swiftly as it had started, leaving Moka untouched.

At least that's how it appeared at first glance. A second look would reveal something else entirely.

Moka's bright pink hair had turned silver; not the tired color of old age, but bright and gleaming, like a newly polished blade. While she'd never been modestly endowed, from the way her blouse had been forced open, she'd probably gained a cup size. But it was the differences in her face that were the most striking. Her facial structure hadn't changed, but she now had a harder look, like she'd been chiselled from ice instead of simply growing up. And her eyes… Bright red eyes, with reptilian pupils that seemed to announce to anyone with senses or instinct, 'predator.' And two long, gleaming white fangs that peeked out from between lips that were turned up slightly in an arrogant smirk. Fangs that turned Tsukune's blood cold, and made a chilled ball appear in the pit of his stomach as he came face to face with something else that had haunted his nightmares.

Vampire.

Moka wasn't sparkling. If she had been, Tsukune would have known that he'd finally lost his fragile grip on his sanity. But even knowing this wasn't some crazed hallucination was of no consolation, as it meant he was in greater danger than he'd ever faced. All the reference books he'd read, and all the gossip he'd heard confirmed it; vampires were the elite class of ghoul, the most powerful of all. They'd all had pretty much the same conclusion; when facing one, either make your peace with your maker, or get the hell out of there post haste. And the second option rarely worked. And Tsukune had just groped her, and she was looking at him the way a shark looked at a wounded seal.

The girl that had until moments before looked as dangerous as a Nerf ball stood proudly in the class, radiating menace. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply through her nose, shuddering in excitement. "You smell… exquisite…" Moka purred, her voice deeper and throatier than usual. "It's been too long since I feasted," she told Tsukune, nearly making his legs buckle. "But before that…"

The vampire turned to face the two friends who'd shoved her into Tsukune, and were now trembling in open fear. "You would dare lay your hands upon me…?" Moka hissed. "Know your place!" Almost faster than any eyes, human or monster, could follow, Moka delivered a savage snap kick that caught both the girls' heads, sending the two of them into a wall, dropping them like rocks, leaving them motionless on the floor. The vampire lowered her leg slowly, an easy, confident smirk on her face as she returned her gaze to Tsukune.

The human was already running, charging through the door, barging right through the crowd that had been drawn by Moka's transformation and curb stomping of her supposed friends. Tsukune went through the onlookers like a combine through a field of grain, not even caring who or what he knocked over as he struggled to escape. He normally tried to keep from antagonizing any other monsters, but right now anything else that chased after him would be an improvement; perhaps their interference with Moka might buy him a few more precious seconds to get away. Tsukune's only hope was to put as much distance between himself and the vampire, and maybe she'd find some other person she could volunteer as a blood donor. His satchel and the rosario still clenched tightly in his hands, Tsukune saw the staircase on the left, planning to jump from landing to landing and try to evade Moka in the dead forest.

There was a sound like a bullet train racing past, a blast of turbulence in its wake, and then Moka was standing in front of the other staircase, an almost expectant look on her face. Tsukune frantically managed to divert his course down the hall, heading for the second staircase, panic pushing his heart rate and running speed ever higher. The books had all said vampires were swift, but that had bordered on teleportation. A second rush of noise and wind, and Moka was at the other staircase, making Tsukune want to scream at the unfairness of it all. She had to be toying with him, she could have caught him in a flash. Moka apparently felt like being especially cruel to her victim.

Tsukune's mind frantically considered his options, even as he kept running down the hallway at full tilt, knowing that there were no other staircases before it became a dead end. He'd seen Moka outside, even on days that passed as bright at Youkai Academy, so sunlight wouldn't hurt her. His dinner knife and makeshift flamethrower would be like launching spit balls at Godzilla. She'd been wearing a cross, so that probably wouldn't work, Tsukune had no idea where he could even find holy water here, never mind using it, and he didn't think he could reach the cafeteria to scrounge up some garlic. That left wooden stakes, but considering how easily she'd dispatched the two who'd shoved her, if he got close enough to use one, he'd be toast. He was certain that kick would have taken his head off.

"Nowhere left to run," Moka called out with cruel sweetness. "You're just making me hungrier, and you'll only get more tired."

Tsukune's eyes narrowed as his gaze locked onto a window at the end of the hallway. In his earlier familiarization with the school, he'd noticed that all the windows were single thin panes in wooden frames, all very old, with dried wood and peeling paint. Without breaking his stride he hiked up his jacket to cover his head, bringing up his bag to protect his face; this was going to hurt like hell, but there was literally nowhere left to run. Putting on a final burst of speed, the human threw himself bodily into the window.

CRASH!

Tsukune was barely able to keep in a cry of pain. It never seemed to bother the actors on TV when they did it, but even though the glass and frame disintegrated on impact, it was still like running into a wall at full speed. Then he felt what seemed like hundreds of burning cuts on his hands and arms, a brief feeling of disorientation as he fell, then an even harder jolt when he hit the ground. Tsukune had only been on the second floor, so the fall had been about ten feet, but it reminded him of getting kicked by Kenichi, only more painful. He'd had the wind knocked out of him when he hit the ground, but the human forced his aching body to move, struggling to regain his feet. Pulling his jacket back down, Tsukune saw he was covered with shards of glass, and his hands were riddled with numerous cuts. Fortunately it didn't look as if any of them were very deep, and he counted himself far luckier than he had any right to be.

Wincing in pain as he tried to catch his breath and regain his bearings, Tsukune glanced up at the window he'd leapt through. A chill passed through him as he saw Moka staring down at him, an expression of frank interest, combined with visible hunger. The vampire took a stray glass shard from the frame, and Tsukune could see his blood on it. Keeping her gaze on him, Moka slowly licked the drops of his blood off the broken glass, her expression changing to something that looked like an orgasm, shuddering visibly. Her body was still quivering with excitement when Tsukune turned back around and simply started running as hard as he could.

The human ran as if his life depended on it; as far as he was concerned, it did. Tsukune went flat out, holding back nothing as he headed for the dead forest. Had the tunnel been closer, he might have tried making a break for his own world, but even at a dead sprint he knew he couldn't escape the vampire's pursuit. He might, just might be able to lose himself in the forest, long enough for Moka to turn her attention to someone else. Tsukune charged into a group of people, not even trying to avoid anyone, taking the most direct path, those in his way either scrambling to prevent a collision, or in a few cases being literally run over.

Tsukune hadn't seen any other signs of Moka since going through the window, no taunts or sounds of an onrushing train, and he felt his hopes go up a fraction. He was approaching the pool now, and in just a few seconds he'd reach the edge of the forest; it wasn't safety by any stretch of the imagination, but if he could make it that far, maybe he had a chance.

"Enough of this…"

The sound of Moka's voice practically in his ear nearly made Tsukune stumble in surprise. Moka made certain of that by casually sticking out her foot and tripping the running human, sending him sprawling. Tsukune crashed heavily into one of the tables near the pool where students would meet before or after a swim. His momentum sent him sliding across the ground, sending the table and chairs asunder, face down as he tried to recover from his second hard impact in less than a minute. Rolling onto his back, Tsukune saw Moka regarding him with open contempt, walking towards him with deliberate slowness, mocking the fact he'd never be able to get away on foot.

Terrified that if he took his eyes off her she'd be on him in an instant, Tsukune frantically scrabbled away backwards, trying to get himself back on his feet without looking away. His right hand touched something smooth and cool, and without hesitation he flung it at Moka, a desperate attempt to hold her off. The iPod whizzed over her left shoulder, catching a few strands of silver hair, but not even making the vampire blink. A glasses case became another makeshift projectile a second later, this time flying off wildly over Moka's right shoulder. The vampire was barely ten feet away when Tsukune tossed a wadded up towel at the approaching monster, desperation giving the throw added force.

A vicious but offhand looking swipe of Moka's right hand turned the towel into tattered rags, her nails cutting like scalpels. Tsukune tried to keep from mewling in terror as he desperately scrambled away, the vampire looming larger with every slow, methodical step. His left hand came upon a plastic cylinder, and without even taking the time to transfer it to his dominant hand flung it almost in resignation at Moka.

"Graaahhhhh!" The silver haired vampire let out an agonized shriek, throwing up her hands in an effort to cover herself, energy sparking all over her.

What the Hell…?

Tsukune froze in surprise, mouth agape as the vampire reacted with more force than he'd expected. For a moment he wondered if someone had left a bottle of acid sitting around for some reason, when he finally saw what the weapon had been. "A water bottle?" he heard himself murmur in surprise. Sure, holy water seemed to work in the movies, but he was sure the water available from the vending machine hadn't been consecrated. And supposedly vampires couldn't travel over it either, but a reaction like that from such a small splashing? For a moment he wondered if this was some kind of sick game to give him a false hope, before dashing it cruelly.

Noticing a second bottle of water on the ground, Tsukune grabbed it, spun off the cap, and tossed it at the shuddering Moka. When the water splashed over her this time, she let out another even louder cry, sparking where the water touched her. Tsukune wondered how a vampire could even survive, considering how prevalent water was on Earth. Eyeing the pool behind the struggling Moka, Tsukune saw a chance to make an escape; get her in the water, then make a break for the tunnel before she was able to get herself out and recover. Getting to his feet, the human gathered his courage and slowly moved to the side of the vampire, hoping with all his heart that she was in too much pain to notice him. Struggling or not, if she managed to connect with either those nails or a kick, he was probably a goner.

Resisting an atavistic impulse to let out a battle cry, Tsukune charged, his arms crossed in front of him, moving as fast as he could when he collided with Moka. The impact made him wince, killing most of his momentum, but he kept his legs moving, driving the both of them to the edge of the pool. The human eased back and used his arms to give a final push, crying out in surprise when Moka took hold of his tie, her inertia pulling him over the edge as well, yelling as they both hit the water.

Moka's grip on his tie was released when she hit the water, and Tsukune swam back to the surface with a few kicks. Breaking through the surface, Tsukune gasped for breath, treading water and realizing they were both in the deep end, under the diving tower. He became aware of Moka thrashing wildly, shouting in pain, vowing to send Tsukune to Hell once she got out of the water.

Tsukune had always been a pretty good swimmer, but the vampire looked like she was in danger of drowning. With practised ease Tsukune swam a few strokes until he was behind the floundering Moka, who was too busy trying to stay afloat to notice him. Treading water, he exhaled a few times, working to blow off the carbon dioxide in his lungs, taking a deep breath and swimming towards Moka. They were at the very center of the deep end, the bottom at least ten feet down. When the vampire's hands were down the human lunged forward, throwing his left arm around her neck, bracing it with his right, then arching his back, dragging the vampire underwater, kicking to drive them both deeper.

Even with no surfaces to push off of to give her leverage, Moka was incredibly strong, and her thrashing made Tsukune think that he was trying to hold onto a mad bull. He kept his arm tight against her throat, keeping his forehead pressed against the back of her head, so she couldn't snap it back and break his nose or jaw. Fighting back against Moka's struggles, Tsukune managed to roll them both over, so that she was under him, easing the water pressure on his inner ear a little by reducing his depth. He couldn't force her to the bottom, or she'd probably launch herself out like a rocket, but he couldn't let her take a breath either.

Tsukune could feel his own lungs starting to ache, and he exhaled to blow off some of the carbon dioxide. That eased the pressure a little, they no longer felt like they might burst, but he was still burning through what little oxygen was still in his system. Moka was kicking like a mule, but Tsukune had managed to get his legs between hers, removing an obvious target from her reach. It was oddly quiet, the water muffling almost all sound, but he could still hear Moka trying to say something even as he had a grip on her throat. He supposed that if he'd been able to hear her, she might have been screaming. Or perhaps pleading…

He couldn't tell how long they'd been underwater, but it felt like forever. Tsukune wanted nothing more than to be able to take a breath, but if he didn't finish this now, he was certain he'd never have another chance. Moka's struggling finally eased off and she went limp in his arms, almost serenely hovering in his grasp. Tsukune carefully released his right arm and drew it back, before clenching it in a fist and driving it into Moka's lower back, right at the kidneys. The vampire began thrashing even harder, managing to break free, even though Tsukune'd been expecting that she'd been playing dead. Through the agony of oxygen depletion, he saw the silver haired vampire kick for the surface.

Tsukune made a desperate reach and managed to grab a handful of silver hair, twisting it in his fist and yanking the vampire back down, locking his arm around her throat and holding on tight. He was barely able to keep from screaming when Moka grabbed onto his arm with her claws, trying to force him off her. Tsukune could feel her nails digging in, and he used the anger to push away the desire to breathe, tightening his grip even more, and driving his knees again and again into Moka's back, feeling feral glee when her mouth opened and a bubble of air escaped. 'Drown, goddamn you!' the human mentally screamed at his opponent. 'Pass out before I do!'

His vision starting to go grey around the edges, Tsukune felt Moka go limp again. Fighting an overwhelming need to bolt for the surface for air, Tsukune dragged his fingers across Moka's eyes, bracing for a reaction. Feeling none, he did it twice more before letting go and frantically kicking for the surface. When his head broached out of the water, he took in a long, desperate gasp of air, feeling like he was about to pass out. Laying on his back, Tsukune kicked weakly so he was floating towards the ladder, taking hold of it and uncertainly pulling himself out, panting for breath as he stepped back onto the deck.

From the look of the crowd that had gathered, he'd guess that at least half of the school were watching as he wiped the water from his eyes and looked back into the pool. Moka was resting at the very bottom, completely still, and Tsukune stopped to consider what he'd done. He'd somehow succeeded in drowning a vampire. He'd never heard of anyone doing that in fiction, and the reference books he'd stolen hadn't mentioned anything about that. Was Moka really dead, or would she come back later seeking vengeance? Given how his luck usually went, Tsukune suspected the latter. So, he had no choice but to make completely certain; fortunately, there had been a few methods about doing just that mentioned.

Breathing hard to get his wind back, Tsukune walked towards the table he'd been tripped into earlier, setting it upright and placing his soggy blazer on it, also taking off the tie Moka had used to pull him in. Ignoring the curious glances and whispers directed towards him, the human picked up one of the wooden chairs, lifted it over his head, and smashed it down onto the deck. When it stayed frustratingly intact, Tsukune lifted it up and drove it down harder, this time breaking it into pieces. One of the legs had broken off with a good sharp point at the end, and it looked like it would make an acceptable stake.

Taking a few seconds to build his strength back up and remove his shoes and socks, Tsukune gripped the leg in his right hand and charged towards the pool's edge, jumping into a dive with the wooden weapon held in front of him. Swimming down towards Moka's still form, Tsukune thought he saw something else near her, but it darted away as he approached, crowding into a corner at the deepest part of the pool. Upon reaching the vampire, the human rolled her onto her back, then lifting the makeshift stake over his head with both hands and driving it down into her chest.

The stake penetrated maybe half an inch, the water's resistance and the durability of flesh making it harder to drive the stake in than movies made it look. Tsukune used the heel of his hand to force it in, gaining possibly an eighth of an inch with each hit. Running out of air, and not knowing if he'd get another chance, the human used his right leg to try to stomp the stake down, feeling it go in, but not enough for his peace of mind. Just when Tsukune felt like he was going to have to return to the surface to take a breath, and maybe look for something to use as a hammer, his last, desperate stomp forced the chair leg between the ribs, breaking them, and plunging the point into the vampire's heart.

Moka's body suddenly arched back, her eyes opened, and a scream somehow escaping from her water filled lungs. The sight and sound nearly stopped Tsukune's heart, and he frantically swam for the surface, pulling himself out of the water as if it was corrosive. Looking back, perhaps it was… The water was turning red around Moka's thrashing form, as her death rattle caused waves to appear on the surface. It was getting harder to see, but it almost looked as if the vampire was disintegrating, as a reddish black stain filled the entire pool. Then the water calmed down, and when the waves were replaced by ripples, the tainted water could still allow Tsukune to see the bottom of the pool, but there was nothing in it.

Feeling numb from yet another murder, Tsukune looked around and saw that the eyes of seemingly the entire school were upon him. He saw disbelief, shock, and even some respectful glances, but also something else now, something he'd worked hard to keep himself from showing. Fear. Several students were watching him carefully, looking like they were ready to flee if he made any sudden movements. There was no talking or whispering, just the sounds of the wind whistling by.

And then a washbasin struck him on the head.

"You murder! You killed her!"

Tsukune shook off the effects of the bump on the head and saw Yukari Sendo, Moka's biggest fan, rushing towards him, tears flowing down her cheeks, a look of open hatred on her face. She started beating her fists on his chest, kicking at his shins, cursing him and vowing revenge. Something in Tsukune snapped; he'd had to kill yet again, and this little brat was giving him shit for daring to protect himself. The human clenched his right fist and smashed the little witch with a savage backhand that sent her on her back, and drew shocked gasps from the crowd.

Taking a step forward, looming over the sprawled out girl, and cocking his right fist back again, Tsukune's eyes met Yukari's. He couldn't see his own expression, but it must have been terrifying to behold as Yukari began trembling in sheer horror. His fist was in position to launch forward, probably to knock out teeth or break bone, when Tsukune caught himself. Yukari was a twelve year old girl; a witch, certainly, but still a twelve year old girl, and he'd just hit her as hard as he'd ever hit anyone before. She was going to have a nasty bruise, and from the way she was looking at him, it was obvious she was afraid he was going to kill her.

And with the rage in his system, she might be right.

Tsukune's anger evaporated. It was one thing to protect himself, but he'd assaulted a little girl, and shame he hadn't felt in a long time returned. Numbly, the human walked away from the terrified Yukari and went to retrieve his things. Slipping into his shoes barefoot, he put his socks into a pocket of his blazer, pausing when he felt something else in it. Tsukune pulled out the rosario and stared at it; he'd forgotten about it and must have slipped it into his pocket in his mad dash to escape. He considered throwing it into the pool that was now Moka's grave, but he put it back where he found it. He threw his tie over his shoulder, hung his blazer over his arm and picked up his satchel.

The crowd was surrounding the area, blocking his way and there were even a few in Enforcers uniforms as well. Tsukune just wanted to go back to his room and crawl into a dark corner. At this point he almost didn't care what happened, and he began to head for his dormitory, wondering if he'd have to fight his way through, and guessing how long he'd last if he did. Tsukune approached the crowd, speculating who would be the first to attack him.

A student moved aside.

And then another.

In front of a disbelieving Tsukune, the crowd started to get out of his way, clearing a path for him towards his dorm. He was astonished that two of them wore the black jackets and yellow armbands of the Enforcers. In a few moments his way was clear, with the exception of a lone Enforcer. This one was rather tall, with pointed ears, some odd facial markings, and wearing white gloves. Tsukune kept walking, not really caring what the man did, just wanting to be left alone, and if he was killed? Well, maybe it was his turn. The human kept moving, not even meeting the Enforcer's eyes, and when he was within a step or two, the black clad individual moved aside, causing a murmur to run through the crowd.

Tsukune didn't care.

Leaving everyone behind him, he continued to the dorm, taking a few moments to examine his injuries. He had many cuts from the glass on his arms, but nothing deep or serious. Moka's claws had gone deeper, but even they weren't too serious. Before he'd come to Youkai Academy, Tsukune hadn't even been able to handle a skinned knee. Now, unless an injury would bleed heavily, or impair his movement, it was to be ignored. They still hurt, but he'd gotten used to working through pain by now. The pool must have washed out all the slivers of glass, so all he needed to do was bandage them up and wait to heal.

Tsukune reached his room, entered, and closed the door. He went to lock it, but didn't. At this point he didn't care who or what came after him, he had enough blood on his hands to justify someone pursuing him. Taking off his shoes, Tsukune hung his blazer over his chair, the rosario dropping out onto the floor. Removing his pants and shirt, he sat on his bed in his skivvies, idly rubbing antibiotic cream into his newest injuries, slowly realizing he didn't have any second thoughts about his latest victim. Regular Moka had nearly run him over when he'd arrived, and didn't like humans, but she'd seemed to be the nicest, most popular monster here. If he hadn't seen it himself, Tsukune wouldn't have believed she was a vampire. And now she was dead, and Tsukune couldn't even work himself up to feel upset at her passing.

The sound of his doorknob turning made Tsukune look up. He had his weapons within reach, but he didn't even consider going for them. The door opened and an Enforcer walked in and shut the door. He knew from experience that this Enforcer had rather soft lips. "It took you all long enough," he spat.

Keito raised an eyebrow. "What took us long enough?"

Tsukune let out a disgusted chuckle. "An Enforcer showing up after I killed someone. Why now? Did I go over a limit?"

"I'm not here about that," Keito assured him.

"Why doesn't that surprise me…?" Tsukune murmured.

Keito slowly walked over to Tsukune, standing in front of him with her arms crossed. "I was simply curious about something…"

"What?" The human didn't even look up, not caring what the spiderwoman thought.

"Are you sure you're human?"

Tsukune slowly looked up, his eyes narrowing as he saw Keito practically smirking at him. "I'm sorry…?" he hissed through clenched teeth.

"You heard me," Keito replied condescendingly. "For a simple human, you're awfully good at killing. Perhaps you really are a monster after all…"

Having his greatest fear told to him was bad enough. The fact it came from someone he knew to be a true monster, yet still had unresolved feelings for, made it even worse.

Tsukune lurched up in a fury, unleashing a vicious right cross right at Keito's jaw. The strike would have knocked any normal woman to the ground. Even most men wouldn't have been able to stay upright after that hit. Keito didn't even flinch. "I'm human!" he snarled. Tsukune threw punches again and again, punctuating each one with another insistence of his humanity, the strength of each decreasing each time. His last punch barely even grazed Keito, and his voice was scarcely over a whisper now. "I'm human…"

The human staggered on his feet, nearly spent, just able to keep from slumping to the ground. He looked at Keito again; for all his efforts, she'd barely moved, her face didn't even look like she'd have a bruise. The look she gave him was a little confusing to Tsukune, it was almost… expectant. Tsukune felt sick when he realized that now he could add 'woman beater' to his list of crimes. It didn't matter that he'd have probably needed explosives to hurt her, he'd struck a woman, not her monster form. He wanted to just disappear, let his mind cease functioning. As his conscience went away to find a dark corner to huddle in, he needed to do something, ANYTHING, to stop thinking.

Tsukune's dormant or repressed feelings came surging back to the forefront, and he shot forward again, this time taking hold of Keito's cheeks and kissing her frantically, desperately, boldly forcing his tongue between her soft lips. He barely noticed when Keito pushed her own tongue back into his mouth, gripping the back of his head and behind his back. His primal hungers driving him now, Tsukune broke the kiss and spun Keito around, forcing her down onto his bed, holding her down with his body. Resuming the kiss he explored the inside of her mouth with his tongue, Tsukune reached down and pulled Keito's Enforcer jacket open, his hands squeezing and kneading the naked flesh underneath.

Keito moaned into Tsukune's mouth as she used her boot heel to push down his boxer shorts, allowing his rampant hardness to spring free. A little wiggling of her hips, and then there was the sensation of indescribable heat and friction, as they both frantically writhed together. Tsukune pushed himself up and gripped Keito's shoulders hard, holding himself up until he slumped forward into her sweaty embrace.

The only thing the human would remember with any clarity was Keito's warm breath tickling his ear as she nibbled on the earlobe playfully. "More…" she hissed softly.

Tsukune gave all he had.

End of Chapter Eight.

Author's Notes:

Pre-read by random1377 and Mereo Flere.

Thanks, dudes…

And again, thanks for the tvtropes love.


	9. Aftershocks

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Rosario + Vampire:

He Who Fights Monsters…

Chapter Nine: Aftershocks

Written by: Hawker_748

Tsukune's eyes opened, and for a few frantic seconds he thought something was wrong with his vision. Before a sense of panic could set in he simply realized that it was dark in his room, and that the lights were out. That was unexpected; ever since he'd first set foot in his room, Tsukune had always kept the lights going, being afraid of what might be lurking in the dark. When he was a child that was simply a normal phobia, but at Youkai Academy there were monsters that hid in the shadows. Squinting at his alarm clock, he was able to make out that it was a little after four in the morning, a few hours before he would normally get up.

A pleasant warmth pressing against Tsukune, and a few feverish recollections about the night before reminded him that he wasn't alone; he also remembered what he'd done the previous day, his arms were still a bit sore from where the vampire had dug her nails in trying to escape. Tsukune could hear faint breathing that wasn't his, and he slowly reached over to the lamp on his night table, not wanting to disturb Keito's slumber. When his grasping fingers brushed against the switch, he closed his eyes and turned it on, the light making him flinch as it penetrated his eyelids. Carefully cracking them open, Tsukune nearly yelped in fright when he saw Keito's violet eyes meeting his.

"Good morning," the spiderwoman cooed, her usual sardonic smile in place.

"Y-you too," Tsukune stammered back, not having any idea of what else he should say.

Keito continued to gaze down at the human she was sprawled over. "You've heard what's supposed to happen to a man who sleeps with a spiderwoman, right? And you know about black widows?" When Tsukune nodded weakly she continued. "How did you know I wasn't going to simply devour you afterwards?"

Tsukune let out a sigh and closed his eyes, images of everything he'd done to survive flashing through his mind. He then met Keito's gaze and murmured, "Didn't care…"

Keito raised an eyebrow as she considered that. "That doesn't really sound like you."

"…Are you…?" the human asked softly; Tsukune was naked and unarmed, completely unable to protect himself from Keito. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to anymore.

Pursing her lips, the Enforcer looked a little awkward. "I suppose I could, if you really WANTED me to, but it'd be a nuisance…"

"How long have you been awake? What were you doing?"

"I was just watching you sleep," Keito replied.

"In the dark?"

"I have very good night vision," the spiderwoman explained with a smirk. "Do humans always sleep peacefully next to monsters?"

Tsukune blinked. "What do you mean, 'peacefully'?"

"I don't think you've moved after you dozed off."

Tsukune started to object, when he belatedly realized she was right. For the first time since he'd arrived, he hadn't had night terrors, his sleep had been dreamless and deep. It had been so long since that had happened, he'd forgotten how normal sleep was supposed to feel. "Wouldn't know," he murmured. "Never knew anyone who slept with a monster before." Looking up at Keito, the human gave voice to a question that he hadn't raised the night before. "Why did you come here?"

Keito shrugged. "Kuyo asked me to extend an invitation, to join the Enforcers."

"You gotta be kidding…"

"I'm not," she insisted. "But I'd have come regardless."

"Why? I'm just a human, tainting this school," Tsukune reminded her.

"I know that," Keito assured him. "But no one else does." The spiderwoman used her slender right pointer finger to trace along the edge of a faint scar under his jaw. "How did you get this?"

The delicacy of the touch, as well as the electric nature of it surprised Tsukune. "Got it from Kenichi, when he swiped at me with his arms. Branches. Whatever the hell they're called."

"How about this?" Keito then ran her fingertip along one of the scars on his chest.

Tsukune had to look down to see which one it was. "Got that after only a few days, got caught up in someone else's fight. Cracked my ribs too."

"This one too?"

The human shook his head. "Guno did that one."

Keito looked him in the eyes. "Didn't they hurt?"

"Yeah. Every single one of them."

"So why did you stay?"

Tsukune gave a dark chuckle. "Didn't want to disappoint my family…"

"Pretty brave, putting up with all this for them," Keito remarked. "Do you know how monsters view humans?"

"Lunch?"

"Some of us, yes," Keito admitted. "But most see humans as the weaker race - that we allow you to rule this planet, until we decide to take it."

"What about you?" Tsukune wondered. It felt strange to be sharing body warmth with the spiderwoman, when she'd apparently held his species in complete contempt.

"I did feel that way, but you…" Keito shook her head. "You don't act like a human. They're supposed to be cowardly, easy prey. You aren't."

"Gee, thanks…"

"I mean it. I never thought a human could be so ruthless. No wonder everyone still thinks you're a monster…"

Tsukune felt like he seemingly collapsed in on himself. Not because he thought Keito was wrong, but that she wasn't. After all he'd done, Tsukune was so numb against horror and violence, he hardly even felt human anymore. "You like that about me?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No, no I suppose it isn't," the human murmured, idly noticing that Keito felt nice nestled against him.

Keito rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat while the human slowly stroked her long hair. "Are you going to take responsibility for this?" she asked.

Tsukune stiffened. "You-you mean kids?"

The spiderwoman lifted her head and gave Tsukune a look as if he was the stupidest life form on the planet. "Do you think you could get a spider pregnant?"

"Never actually considered that," he admitted.

"Our DNA isn't compatible, you don't have to worry about that." A distant look came over Keito's features. "It's probably for the best anyway…" she muttered under her breath.

"I don't understand," Tsukune remarked.

The spiderwoman gave the human a look that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. "I never knew my father," she explained. "And my mother… She… died, right after I was born."

"I'm sorry to hear about that," Tsukune replied, feeling a chill run up his spine.

"It's natural," Keito replied casually, unknowingly making the human's blood run cold. "It's probably for the best if we don't have kids."

"Right…" Tsukune resumed running his fingers through Keito's violet hair when she placed her head back on his chest, trying to not think about what they'd just discussed, locking it away in the back of his mind, never to be disturbed again. When the spiderwoman slipped her arms around him in a warm embrace, it was easier for the human to let himself deal with the way she felt in his arms, than consider her words.

Nothing more was said for a while, and Tsukune believed that Keito had fallen asleep when she spoke again. "I have to admit, I didn't think I'd get so upset, seeing you chat with that other woman…"

Tsukune blinked. "How'd you know about that?" he wondered. "You were never around when we sat together."

Keito lifted her head and looked into his eyes. "Did you look up?"

"Look up…?" Tsukune asked incomprehensively, when the truth dawned on him. Of course, Keito could cling to the walls or ceiling, but he'd only checked the floor. He kicked himself silently, and promised to be more vigilant; it was possible someone else might try that trick to ambush him someday.

"She's a classmate, right?"

"Saori? Yeah, we're in the same class," Tsukune related.

"She didn't waste any time," Keito reflected, a touch of bitterness in her voice.

"Saori told me she just wanted to be there, not be a rebound girl."

"You didn't seem that interested in telling her no…"

Tsukune shrugged. "She seemed… Somewhat reasonable," he explained. "I was worried that someone else might not take no for an answer. Or be so understanding."

Keito's expression softened a little. "I guess that makes sense." She didn't seem too happy to agree with him.

"Hey, what about you and that guy yesterday?" Tsukune pointed out. "In the cafeteria."

"Him? He's just a fellow Enforcer, was telling me about the last student he needed to question." Keito cocked her head and looked at Tsukune oddly. "You were bothered by that?"

"I don't normally leave my lunch half eaten," he allowed. "Or break the pen I'm using…"

The smile Keito wore was almost sweet. "Who says romance is dead?" She caressed his cheek with her right hand, and Tsukune nuzzled her palm in reply.

Tsukune let himself enjoy the feeling for a while before speaking again. "So… are we, you know, together now…?"

Keito looked at him blankly. "You mean as opposed to me being easy?"

Tsukune felt himself flush. "…I didn't say that…"

"That's the alternative," Keito explained coolly.

"I guess we're together then…"

"Yeah, guess so." Keito nuzzled her head back into Tsukune's chest. "But I'm okay with that."

"Me too," Tsukune replied.

The two of them laid together in silence, enjoying the intimacy of the moment, until Tsukune glanced over at his clock again. "We're gonna have to get up sooner or later," he related. "It's a school day."

"Don't worry about that," Keito scoffed. "You can skip a day."

"I don't really like missing class," Tsukune told her, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"It'll be fine," she insisted. "Besides, your doorway is impassable."

"What do you mean-"

THWIP!

Tsukune stared in surprise. There was an elaborate spider web now covering his door. Based on what he knew of Keito's spider silk, he'd need a chainsaw, or a plasma torch to clear it himself. Keito delicately wiped away a few stray strands from her mouth with a bed sheet, before giving him a sardonic grin. "You were saying…?"

"…I guess skipping ONE day won't hurt…"

"Clever human," she replied, placing kisses along the edge of one of the scars on his chest.

Tsukune heard Keito humming contently as he ran his fingers through her hair, kissing her way up his chest towards his face. As she straddled him, her silken hair cascading over his head, and their lips ground hungrily against the others, Tsukune had just enough time to decide that there were worse reasons to take a day off.

This time, the events would be burned permanently into his memory.

XXX

Tsukune stared up at the ceiling, his hands behind his head, listening as Keito used the shower. It was just about the time class ended for the day, and the human was certain that he'd soon be able to hear the sounds of students returning to their rooms. They'd both needed to clean off, the smell of sweat and sex permeated the room, and the sheets would need to be laundered. The linen was still damp in places from their intermixed fluids, and flecked with dried blood from Tsukune's injuries.

After doing the chivalrous thing and allowing Keito to get cleaned up first, Tsukune had checked himself over and discovered, without surprise, that she'd left bloody scratches down his back from her fingernails, and abrasions running perpendicular to them from her arachnid legs. Keito had held on with all her limbs a few times, and had left a few bite marks on his collarbone as well. He hadn't really noticed at the time, endorphins were the body's own painkillers after all, but they were now just minor irritants, a faint stinging tingle that could be ignored, but not forgotten.

But Tsukune couldn't bring himself to be upset at the minor injuries the spiderwoman had inflicted on him during their coupling. They were probably involuntary, and he'd basically tried to knock her head into next week when she'd questioned his humanity. At least she hadn't struck him back, she probably would have killed him with an offhand strike if she connected, and at the range they'd been at, there was no way she'd have missed. As Tsukune continued to think about what had happened, he idly noticed that the shower was off, and he heard Keito pulling aside the shower curtain.

A few minutes later the bathroom door opened and Keito walked out, completely naked, using one of Tsukune's towels to dry her hair. The human was treated to a good long look at his girlfriend's form; he'd spent most of previous day exploring it with his fingertips and tongue, but this was the first real chance he'd had to gaze. Her legs were quite lovely, long and toned like a runner's, with a lithe figure, and breasts that were generous, but not too big to be freakish looking. He was once again a little surprised to notice that there were no marks or blemishes on her stomach that would indicate where her spider legs came from. Her violet hair looked darker from being wet, and a few damp strands had escaped from the towel she was using to scrub her hair. "Don't you have a hair dryer?" she asked, apparently unconcerned that she was on display.

Tsukune shook his head. "I just use a towel."

"Great," Keito grumped. "Now I'll have to wait until I get home to finish it. Oh, and your toothbrush feels a little spongy, you should replace it."

"You used it?"

"Of course," Keito replied casually. "You're a clean guy, for a human, but I really needed to brush after what we did."

Tsukune had offered Keito the chance to get cleaned up, even anticipating that she might use a few of his things. He just hadn't expected her to be so brazen about it. "Don't worry, I'll get a new one."

"And a hair dryer as well," Keito added. "Next time I want to be able to dry off properly."

"Next… time…" The human said the words slowly, with the dawning understanding that if they were together, this would happen again.

"Of course," the spiderwoman purred, fixing Tsukune with her usual sardonic smile. "Did you think this was a one night stand?"

Tsukune opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He'd made the first move solely to try to push away his own conscience and feelings of guilt and shame. There hadn't been any consideration of any long term prospects, or even if he'd survive the experience. But even though Keito still made him uneasy on some levels, he'd missed her more than he'd expected, and being with her alleviated the loneliness in ways that no one else could, especially since she knew the truth about him. "Do you want me to get you a toothbrush as well…?"

"That'd be nice of you," Keito responded, before her expression became a little more serious. Letting the towel drape over her shoulders, where it did nothing to protect her (theoretical) modesty, she walked over and sat on the bed, regarding Tsukune closely. "You've got a rather large bottle of painkillers in the vanity."

The human shrugged. "Been hurt a lot, and it's not like I can go to the infirmary."

Keito pondered that for a few moment, before a look of dawning comprehension hit her. "All the times I squeezed your arm…"

"Hurt like hell," Tsukune finished.

In low light, across a room, the expression Keito wore just might have looked apologetic. "I never knew…"

"That was the idea," Tsukune explained. "You didn't break anything, and I've had a lot worse than bruises."

Keito shook her head, amazed at the human's resolve and endurance. She saw him moving closer, his arms outstretched for an embrace. In spite of her growing affection for the human, she was silently relieved when he covered her with the towel before holding her, to try to protect her from getting his sweat all over her. She absently held his hand before she caught herself. "Is this too much?"

"A little," Tsukune rasped, relief rushing over his face when she loosened her grip. "That's fine."

Keito was certain she'd held him tighter when they'd been in bed, but she let the human hold her, feeling him nuzzle her head. "You like my hair?"

"Yes, it's silky…" Tsukune saw the look Keito gave him and felt sheepish. "Sorry, poor choice of words."

Keito reached up and traced the scar under Tsukune's chin, looking into his eyes. "Did you buy those cans of insecticide in the closet because of me?"

Tsukune felt the blood drain from his face. "H-how did you-"

"You were asleep, I was just curious," Keito replied indifferently. "Were they for me?"

The human couldn't bring himself to be dishonest; even if he tried, she'd know he was lying. "Yes," he admitted. "I got them after the first time I saw you."

When the spiderwoman smiled, she unknowingly nearly gave Tsukune a heart attack. "Very sensible of you," she commended him, patting his cheek like a proud parent. "I always did like your honesty."

"Thanks," Tsukune murmured weakly.

"It wouldn't have worked, but 'A' for effort."

"Do you still wonder if I'm human?"

"Yes, you're human all right, but in some ways, you're in the right place," she told him.

"What do you mean?"

"Monsters come here and pretend they're civilized," she explained. "You're just doing the same."

Tsukune opened his mouth to disagree, but it hung open as he realized he couldn't think of a rebuttal that wouldn't simply smack of denial. "That's… a rather blunt way to put it," was the best he could manage.

Keito gave her uncomfortable boyfriend a quick peck on the lips and got back to her feet. "I need to go, I'm a little hungry anyways."

The mention of food made Tsukune's stomach rumble, and he realized how famished he was. "Will I see you at dinner?"

Keito shook her head. "There's an Enforcer's meeting tonight, but I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow. You never did answer, are you interested in joining us?"

"I'll pass, thanks."

Keito pouted. "Pity, I think you'd look good in black." With a resigned sigh, the spiderwoman began slipping back into her discarded clothes, pausing when Tsukune cleared his throat. "What?"

"Your panties," he pointed out.

"You ripped them, you can keep them. Just think of them as a trophy."

"I don't keep trophies," Tsukune reminded her.

"Then what's that?"

Tsukune's gaze followed Keito's pointing finger and his eyes widened when he remembered the rosario that he'd stuck in his pocket the day before. "I didn't mean to keep it," he murmured. "I just pocketed it without thinking, didn't know what to do with it."

"You should keep it and my panties as trophies," Keito insisted, slipping her jacket back on and buttoning it. "After all, you did end up fucking us both. I just got the better part of the deal," the spiderwoman added with a feral grin.

At one time the look his girlfriend gave him would have made his blood run cold; now it just made Tsukune feel a touch uneasy. "I-I'll take care of them both later," he replied softly, absently watching Keito slip into her boots.

Keito casually swiped her hand through the web covering the door, effortlessly clearing it away, making Tsukune gape. When she'd first gone into the shower, he'd made an effort to remove it, but the strands had felt like steel cable. Taking a few moments to brush a few strands of hair from her forehead, Keito then gave Tsukune a surprisingly warm smile. "No kiss goodbye?"

Blushing, Tsukune stood up, taking a bed sheet with him to protect his modesty; he was going to be cleaning them anyway, they were still damp in places. Using his left hand to hold it up around his waist, the human took hold of the back of Keito's head with his right, leaning in for a kiss. As soon as their lips touched, the spiderwoman calmly opened the door and let it swing inwards, allowing anyone in the hallway to look in.

Tsukune's eyes went wide and he tried to pull back, but Keito had his head in her hands and she was kissing him fiercely, not paying attention to the commotion the students in the hall were making as they tried to look. With class letting out only a few minutes ago, she couldn't have picked a better time to French kiss him in public without scheduling an assembly. The human wanted to close the door, escape from the openly curious onlookers, but he was struggling to keep his bed sheet up, and prevent an even greater exposure.

The kiss was long and passionate, and Tsukune felt himself beginning to stir, even after all that had happened earlier. Then Keito pulled back, leaving him gasping for breath, equally embarrassed and excited. "You were amazing…" she cooed, planting a soft peck on his lips and turning away, walking down the hallway, ignoring how everyone suddenly found something else to look at. There was an obvious spring in her step, and a playful hitch in her gait that did a better job of announcing what happened to all, than posting fliers would have done.

Tsukune felt a light flush on his cheeks as he watched Keito swagger away, finally noticing that more than a few passers-by were staring at him. Not at his face, they seemed to be looking lower, like they were… The human went as red as a tomato when he realized he was pitching an obvious tent in the bed sheet around his waist. Embarrassment turned to indignation, then to anger. Feeling his face twisting up, Tsukune snarled, "Hell you gawking at?"

He hadn't intended to be that forceful. He certainly didn't expect for the hallway to clear faster than if there had been a fire. After a few seconds of finding himself alone, Tsukune slammed his door in frustration. In the privacy of his room, the human began to chuckle darkly; he'd killed a vampire, so he should have figured that others wouldn't want to antagonize him now. He also realized that the way the grapevine worked around here, it would be common knowledge that he'd slept with the Enforcer before he went down for dinner. Accepting this with a degree of solicitude that he found surprising, Tsukune marched off to the shower to clean away the sweat and scent.

Afterwards he was brushing his teeth when he froze. He found himself wondering if Keito had used his toothbrush on the mandibles of her monster form as well. But when he considered everywhere he'd placed his mouth, that was probably a minor detail, and with a resigned shrug resumed brushing. He did discard the brush when he was finished though, and make a mental note to pick up a pair of them, as well as a hair dryer, after dinner. Relieved that his pants and jacket had dried from the incursion into the pool, Tsukune got dressed and pulled the rest of the sheets from the bed and stuffed them in the hamper. He slipped the rosario into his pocket, and was just going to discard Keito's torn underwear, but he reconsidered.

He didn't want anyone else finding them, even in the trash, so maybe it would be better if he kept them. Tsukune briefly considered keeping them under his pillow, but that seemed rather skeevy, like something Harunobu would have done. Slipping the garment into the drawer of his night table, the human armed himself and left his room, turning all the lights back on before he closed and locked the door.

XXX

The cafeteria at Youkai Academy was filled almost to capacity, scores of students eating, and the air buzzing with conversations, and for the second straight day, most of them focused on one student in particular. At a random table near the exit a number of students were talking amongst themselves in guarded tones, a scene that occurred at just about all the occupied tables. "Just what the hell is he?" a rather burly junior wondered.

"You got me," a sophomore replied, picking at the food in front of her. She and her friends had been speculating feverishly; just what kind of monster was tough enough to consider taking on a vampire in his human form?

"We could always ask him," another junior pointed out. The withering glares he got from the others at the table made him avert his eyes.

"Go ahead," the first junior replied cavalierly. "We'll all be certain to say some kind words at your funeral."

"You might not even get close enough to ask him," a freshman added. "Now that he's back with that spiderwoman Enforcer."

"Did they really spend an entire day in bed?" the sole female student asked.

"She went into his room, didn't come out for a day," the burly junior assured her. "Buddy of mine lives down the hall from Aono. He didn't peep, but from what it sounded like whenever he walked by…" He trailed off, letting his companions draw their own conclusions. "And they weren't shy about kissing when she did leave."

For a few minutes there was only thoughtful silence at the table as the group considered his words. "So, what are we supposed to do about Aono?" pondered a freshman who'd been silent up until now.

The rest of them looked at him like he'd grown another head. "We leave him the hell alone," the first person spoke before anyone else could say it.

"But he's so scrawny," the freshman insisted. "He looks harmless."

"Yeah? So's a damn minefield, until you take a wrong step. Were you asleep when he killed a vampire with his bare hands?"

"No, I was there," the freshman agreed. "It's just… He looks like he couldn't kill a fly."

"That's probably what everyone else who messed with him thought," the girl pointed out. "It didn't go well for them."

"All I know, he's only gone after those who made trouble for him," the junior stated. "He doesn't start fights, but he sure as hell finishes them. I'm just gonna keep outta…"

The chatter in the cafeteria faded away as the subject of most of the talk walked in. Dozens of pairs of eyes followed the ordinary looking student as he got his meal, only to pause and look out over the gathered students. Those at tables immediately looked elsewhere, not wanting to draw the attention of the ruthless freshman whose exploits were becoming the stuff of legend. When Tsukune resumed filling his tray the air pressure in the cafeteria seemed to rise from the collective sigh of relief.

"So, what are you planning to do during break?" the sophomore asked. The abrupt change in the subject caused a few questioning looks from his friends. "You wanna keep talking about that now that he's here?"

"How could he hear us?" the second junior asked.

"How do you know he can't?" countered a freshman. "He could have heard everything for all we know…"

The entire table felt their skin crawl, all of them looking over to watch Tsukune, wondering if his blank expression should be considered threatening or not.

"Knock it off," the first junior chastised everyone. "Don't be so paranoid."

"It isn't paranoia if he is gonna kill us," the freshman murmured.

"He's coming this way!" the sophomore hissed, beads of cold sweat on her brow.

The occupants of the table watched the lone figure making his way through the cafeteria, noticing that more than a few students at other table edged away from him as he passed. When he walked past their table without even seeming to notice them, everyone appeared to slump with relief.

"Ex-excuse me, Aono…?"

All sound and movement in the cafeteria came to a screeching halt when the first junior called out to the human, causing two of his tablemates to go ghostly pale.

Tsukune turned around, a look of faint surprise on his features. "Yes…?"

"Care to join us?" the student managed to force out, not paying attention to the horrified looks his companions wore.

Tsukune looked a little bemused. "Thanks, but I usually study when I eat." His lips almost seemed to turn up at the corners as he made his way to his usual table.

"O-okay then, enjoy your meal…" He let out a sigh and then faced the death glares of his friends. "What?"

"What the hell are you doing?" the sophomore yelled as quietly as she could.

"Trying to stay on his good side," he shot back, casting a discrete glance where Tsukune was eating and poring over his text book.

They all shivered a little as the monster (whatever he was) bit into his apple, the crunch of his teeth breaking the skin sounding like a gunshot in the suddenly too-quiet cafeteria.

His good side, everyone silently agreed, was probably the best place to be.

XXX

Tsukune slowly flipped through his book, not even noticing the words on the page, but wanting to look as if he was working. He was chewing methodically, the first few bites sending his latent appetite into overdrive, as his tired body screamed out for nourishment. It had been well over a day since he'd left half his lunch behind, and he exerted himself a lot over the duration, ending up starving, and rather dehydrated as well.

As he'd made his way over, he'd worn the same expression he usually did, but it had come close to slipping a few times, his surprise and astonishment challenging it. Tsukune had figured that killing a vampire would cause other students to be a little more wary of him, but he hadn't counted on some of them being positively terrified; more than once on the walk over a student had abruptly dashed into a room to get out of the hallway with him, (including one case of a guy lurching into a girls washroom) or molding themselves against a wall to put distance between them.

He'd briefly considered embracing the new way students viewed him, and putting on an arrogant, contemptuous air; however, Tsukune'd realized that would quickly get grating on the other students, and might encourage one of them to take a run at him. Simply maintaining his low key, almost indifferent attitude would probably encourage everyone to leave him in peace. When a few students in the hallways greeted him, something they'd rarely done beforehand, Tsukune nodded in acknowledgement, but continued on his way. When he'd been invited to join a table, he briefly toyed with the idea, but politely declined. While being a little more sociable might be a good thing, sitting with others increased the chance of one or more of the people sitting with him ambushing him when his guard was down.

Lifting his head a little, Tsukune covertly glanced up. He wasn't expecting to see Keito lurking there, but there was always a chance someone else could have realized that it'd been one of his blind spots, and tried to exploit that. There was no one hiding up there, and the human allowed himself to relax just a little. He continued eating and flipping through pages of his textbook, trying to keep from simply wolfing it down, when some movement caught his eyes, drawing them up, and they widened a little in surprise. Saori was standing in front of him, holding a tray, but she hadn't made any attempt to greet him.

'This is… awkward,' Tsukune thought, going back on guard. 'Does she know?' Then he looked in her eyes, and he got his answer. Her lower lip was also quivering a little, and he wondered if she was going to make a scene. On some level he did feel sorry for her; he'd effectively strung her along, and then gone back to his ex in what had to have been a rather obvious and humiliating (to her) way. On the other hand, if she acted like a scorned woman, he'd end up in a desperate fight, and with no preparation, and her jealous fury, Tsukune didn't like his odds.

When Saori simply turned and strode out of the cafeteria, but not before Tsukune had seen tears silently streak down her cheeks, the human had to work hard to conceal his relief. He still felt a twinge of sympathy for her, but he was more relieved that she simply hadn't tried to fight. 'I'm sorry, Saori,' he called out silently, briefly watching her leave the cafeteria before returning his attention back to his eating. After he'd finished most of his meal, even though he'd taken double portions of everything, something else dawned on Tsukune. He glanced over to the table where some of his female admirers tended to sit when he was eating.

The group of students Tsukune didn't recognize, but one of them spat out his drink when he realized Tsukune was looking at him. Averting his eyes, the human gathered up his textbook and his mostly empty tray and went to place it on the rack. As his eyes passed over the tables, he noticed some of the girls sitting separately, a lot farther away than he was used to seeing them. He was idly curious whether Saori and the others seemed to have backed off because he'd effectively hooked back up with Keito, or because they were simply afraid of the spiderwoman Enforcer's fierce reputation.

Tsukune figured that either one was even money.

When he reached the garbage bin, Tsukune covertly tossed in the rosario from his pocket, then dropped the remains from his tray over it to conceal it. Satisfied that no one would notice it, and it would be sent out with the trash, Tsukune effectively meandered back to his dorm room, nodding to acknowledge whenever he was greeted. He made a brief detour to the school store picking up a pair of toothbrushes and a hair dryer, shaking his head ruefully as he added it to his basket.

Resuming his trip back to his room, when he passed a group of upperclassmen, he was once again bemused when they acted almost in deference to him, as if he was the senior. Tsukune had to keep reminding himself to not let all this go to his head, that his ego could get him killed if he let it run amok. Trying to play it cool, he made it back to his room after a few minutes, unlocking the door and slipping back inside.

After locking and barricading the door as normal, Tsukune went to work trying to finish the homework he'd all but forgotten the day before. It was already late, but he didn't want to just ignore it. Even if he was respected, if not feared, by most of the students, he didn't figure that would make much of a difference with the teachers. He hoped it wouldn't at least. This was completely new territory to Tsukune, and he was a little uneasy about what class might be like the next day.

Letting out a resigned sigh, Tsukune began to work on his assignments, finishing them after a little over two hours work. He got ready for bed, brushed his teeth and slipped into bed. He was reaching for the switch to turn off the light, but he couldn't bring himself to feel safe enough in the dark, at least by himself, so he let the light burn as usual. When sleep finally did take him, it was no better than any but the previous night.

XXX

Tsukune stifled yet another yawn as he made his way towards the school; sleep had been anything but restful, and he once again felt bone tired and bleary eyed. Still, it could have been far worse. At the very least his nightmares no longer had a disturbing erotic component, they were simply terrifying again. After getting his bed sheets all sweaty with Keito, she no longer scorched his dreams, leaving him to deal with rather more mundane night terrors.

She had given him a brief scare at breakfast, somehow managing to get behind him, even though he'd been expecting her to join him. Once he'd gotten over his surprise, they settled down for a pleasant meal together, promising to spend some time together that weekend, before Keito left for a pre-class Enforcers meeting, Tsukune leaving a little while after she did. The kiss she placed on his cheek was almost chaste, but it still had him blushing, feeling awkward at the public display of affection. The baleful glances some of the girls in the cafeteria gave her as she walked out made Tsukune shudder.

The human walked up the steps of the main building, noticing how the other students were careful not to impede his progress, even as they called out greetings to him. Coming off the stairs at the floor of his homeroom Tsukune squared his shoulders and walked into his class. As he expected, everyone looked up when he entered, but more than a few averted their eyes, and others nodded respectfully at him. The lack of response to him killing the school idol did give him pause, as many in the class had been among her admirers. But Tsukune figured that what he'd done was so horrifying to the other monsters that it cooled their desire to wreak vengeance.

His eyes were now drawn to Moka's empty desk; back home, when a classmate of his had been killed in a car accident, there'd been flowers left on her desk for a week afterwards. Moka's desk was bare. Just like Saizo's had been – although he couldn't be absolutely sure, since he'd been absent for nearly a week – and Kenichi's desk had also remained unadorned. Tsukune's eyes went to each of the empty desks, remembering the faces of the classmates he'd killed, as well as Guno and Harunobu. When you died here, it was as if you'd never even existed. Only two people had ever shown grief for his victims, one he'd ended up killing as well, and he'd come so close with Yukari it had frightened him.

Taking his seat, Tsukune opened his bag and took out his books, feeling self-conscious about not knowing what he supposed to do for today. Glancing around the class, suppressing a sigh when Saori wouldn't even make eye contact with him, Tsukune met the gaze of the student behind him. "Excuse me…"

The student paled, looking like he'd just encountered the Grim Reaper. "W-what…?" he managed to stammer out.

"What did I miss yesterday?"

The look of incomprehension was almost comical. "Excuse me?"

"What was the homework? Tsukune replied, careful to not appear antagonistic.

The redheaded guy seemed to collapse in relief, explaining what the assigned reading had been, even offering to give Tsukune the correct answers, insisting he wouldn't need them, but he politely turned them down. He was just starting to read the first passage when Ms. Nekonome walked in.

For a few brief moments teacher and student made eye contact. Tsukune thought he saw accusation in her eyes before she moved to her desk and took attendance. When she came to the spot on the roster that Moka had occupied, a few classmates flicked their gaze over to him, before going back to trying to not draw attention to themselves. When the class began, it reminded Tsukune of the atmosphere in the class after beating Harunobu to death. Ms. Nekonome all but ignored him, whether or not his hand was up.

Tsukune figured that it was better if she didn't acknowledge him today. He felt like he needed to explain himself to Ms. Nekonome, perhaps even apologize, but he felt that it was too soon, and that talking with her would be too awkward. But before he returned his attention to his late homework, Tsukune found himself glancing around, wondering if there were any boxes that she might need moving later.

XXX

When the dismissal bell rang at the end of the day Tsukune felt his shoulders slump a little in relief; the unspoken tension in the class had been suffocating. Saori had spent the entire time looking away from him, Ms. Nekonome acted as if he wasn't even there, and most of the other students were behaving as if he was a barely subcritical mass of plutonium. A few brave souls had managed to work up the nerve to try to make small talk, before breaking it off and slinking back to their desks. And the girls… They'd acted as if he was contagious, keeping as much distance as was practical while still staying in the classroom. Tsukune watched in astonishment as all the females in the class cleared out post haste, leaving him with the thoroughly intimidated guys. He found the virtual shunning to be hurtful, more than he'd expected, and he tried to console himself with the thought that there was less chance of someone accosting him.

Resigning himself to the notion of isolation, Tsukune slipped his books into his bag, walked over to the teacher's desk and placed his late assignments on it, and headed out into the hallway. He was struck again by the way conversations seemed to stop and fellow students edged out of his way as he walked through the hall. Nodding at the occasional greeting, the human made his way out of the building and set a course for his dorm. There was a cross country run today, and he was really looking forward to it. Running through the forest, trying to keep ahead of the other monsters had become exhilarating to him, and was the best way he'd found to burn off the nervous energy that Youkai Academy created in him.

Easing into his room Tsukune dropped his satchel, changed into his running clothes, slipped his weapons into their hiding places under his garments, and headed back out for the rallying point for the run. When he got to the storage room behind the school building, Tsukune noticed something was a little off. There were a lot less club members milling about or stretching in preparation. He wondered if Ichiro had made the run voluntary again and he just hadn't gotten word. When he got closer the human could feel the tension rising as the others noticed him. One actually went pale, but the rest suddenly looked like they wished they were somewhere else.

"T-Tsukune," Ichiro called out hesitatingly. "I wasn't sure you'd show up to run again…"

Tsukune gave him an odd look. "Why would I do that?"

"Never mind," Ichiro mumbled. "We'll be running in a few minutes." The werewolf left without another word and resumed his stretching, occasionally casting furtive glances over his shoulder.

Shrugging, Tsukune started his pre-run warm up, stretching his legs and hoping that missing a day wouldn't have a negative effect on his performance. The preparation ritual was automatic to him now, he could do it in his sleep without missing a beat, and he gave the runners who had shown up a few discrete glances. They were giving him a little more space for his warm up, and this made his spirits sink a bit. He could understand his classmates being wary of him, but everyone was acting as if he was completely unstable, ready to lash out and kill at the slightest reason. Tsukune had always wanted to be left alone, but this bordered on exile.

Finally everyone got in position for the run to start. Ichiro raised his hand and dropped it, and the run was on. Tsukune found himself at the front and he got himself into his rhythm, making sure he didn't run himself out early and give Ichiro or anyone else the chance to catch him. The dead forest was its usual stillness, with only his footfalls and breaths cutting into the silence.

It wasn't until Tsukune reached the halfway point that he realized that something wasn't right. He glanced over his shoulder and was a little surprised to realize that Ichiro was a lot further back than he usually was at this point. At first Tsukune suspected that maybe he was holding himself back until later in the run, so he'd have a bigger reserve to challenge Tsukune at the end. But as they proceeded ever closer to the finish line Ichiro gave no sign of making an effort to catch up; in fact it almost looked as if he was falling behind.

Tsukune pulled back a fraction, slowing down his pace to try to bait the club president into making a move. It worked, just not in the way he'd expected; Ichiro almost fell over slowing down when he realized he'd gained on Tsukune. The werewolf lowered his pace until he'd re-established the distance between himself and the human, making no effort at all to take the lead. Scowling, Tsukune slowed himself down to almost a brisk walk, once again noticing his pursuers all but stopping cold to avoid getting closer to him. Resisting the urge to stop completely, or perhaps even go backwards, the human kept up the slower pace the rest of the way, hoping that at least one of them would take the chance to finally defeat him in a run. He was bitterly disappointed when he crossed the finish line first, slowing down to a contemptuous stroll just before he finished.

Tsukune decided he'd had enough of this, and he crossed his arms and waited for Ichiro to cross the finish line, noticing the shame in the werewolf's eyes. "What the hell was that?" he called out to the club president.

"What are you talking about?" Ichiro replied timidly.

"Sandbagging a run like that," Tsukune accused. "You should have been able to catch me if you were hopping on one foot!"

"Sorry, there's a bit of food poisoning going around," he murmured. "Lots of us couldn't really run well-"

"Stop. Right. There." Tsukune commanded. "Did you really think I'd kill someone who tried to pass me?"

Ichiro didn't answer, but his downcast eyes and silence spoke volumes.

The feeling that gripped Tsukune felt almost like betrayal. "How am I supposed to run faster without you chasing me? I thought you were my friend."

"We're friends?"

Tsukune had been just as surprised to hear the words pass his lips, but he realized they'd been true. "Yeah, we're friends. I can only run well when you're chasing me. I'm not crazy, I won't kill someone for trying to catch me."

"You won't?"

"I haven't killed you, right?"

"That's true," Ichiro admitted. "Sorry buddy, it's just the whole vampire thing… I didn't know what to think."

Tsukune chuckled ruefully. "I understand, everyone's scared of me now."

"Can you blame 'em?"

"Guess not," Tsukune allowed. "Listen, can you just tell the club members I don't mind if they try to beat me? Doesn't mean I'll let them, but I won't kill 'em if they try."

"For a friend? Anything," Ichiro replied, extending his hand.

Tsukune took it and the two shared a fraternal shake. "You'd better be at my heels the next run."

"Count on it," Ichiro promised, and the tension between the two evaporated. "So, is it true you're back with Keito?"

"What, did someone post an announcement or something?"

Ichiro shrugged. "Word gets around."

"I noticed," Tsukune remarked with a grimace. "Yeah, it's true."

"Congratulations! Is it also true you two spent a day in bed together?"

Tsukune felt his cheeks color, but it was the kind of thing a close friend might ask. It was also nice to have someone he could talk to about it. "Correct."

Ichiro gave a soft whistle. "Damn… What have you been eating?"

"It's probably the running," Tsukune countered. "Good for endurance…"

"Didn't I tell you that you'd learn to like running?" Ichiro pointed out.

"I don't think you meant this," Tsukune replied blandly.

"That's true," the club president acknowledged. Ichiro then gave a look around and moved closer to Tsukune. "So, how was it?" he asked conspiratorially.

The human chuckled. "Get yourself a girlfriend and find out."

"I'm trying…" Ichiro grumped. "Did you, you know, stay human, or use your true form?"

This was getting a little too close for comfort, but Tsukune decided to give his friend a little more detail. "Yeah, I used my true form. And if you tell that to anyone, I'll have your mangy hide for a rug."

Ichiro recognized the steel in Tsukunes' humor. "Hey buddy, my lips are sealed," he promised holding his hands up placatingly "Are you two serious?"

"If I end up needing a best man, I'll ask you."

"Cool. You wanna grab a bite to eat later?"

"Love to, but I'm meeting Keito for dinner tonight," he explained. "But if you see me, come on over, I don't bite."

Tsukune thought he heard Ichiro muttering something under his breath, but he decided he wouldn't make anything out of it. Waving goodbye to his friend, the human headed back to his dorm, not as tired as he usually was on the trip back. After a shower and a change of clothes Tsukune made his way to the cafeteria, occasionally casting glances around and noticing that people were still going out of their way to avoid contact with him. At the entrance to the dining hall he realized that he and Keito hadn't discussed whether or not they'd meet before or after they got their food, so Tsukune decided to simply get his meal and wait at his usual table; the spiderwoman would likely join him, she always had before.

Sitting down, Tsukune discretely looked around to make sure he wasn't being ambushed; he hadn't been so far, but he wasn't going to let today be the one time he let himself get complacent. After insuring he was safe, once again glancing upwards, Tsukune lifted his fork to his mouth. The food had just touched his lips when something made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He was ready to lash his arm around and use the fork as a weapon when a familiar voice registered. "Good evening Tsukune."

Tsukune let out an exasperated breath. "Where did you come from?" He'd have sworn no one was near him.

"A girl needs to have some secrets," Keito replied evenly.

Wondering if his girlfriend knew how close he'd come to stabbing her with a fork, Tsukune belatedly realized something. "Why are you in uniform? Is something wrong?"

Keito shook her head. "Nothing at all," she assured him. "I just think that if I wear this, people will be less likely to bother us. There's nothing worse than someone coming up when you just want to be left alone."

Tsukune gave Keito a blank look; her expression was so sincere, without a trace of humor. It appeared the concept of irony was completely lost on her. Figuring it wasn't worth pointing out, he simply gestured to the seat next to him, nodding when Keito sat down. The two ate in a comfortable silence, Tsukune noticing a few smouldering looks cast in Keito's direction from a few women at other tables, but they always looked away when he glanced in their direction. His eyes fell on something Keito had placed on the table. "What's that?" he asked, gesturing with his head to the brown paper wrapped package.

"It's a surprise," she told him with her usual smile.

"…I love surprises…" Guessing that he'd have no luck prying more information out of her, Tsukune resumed eating, and the two of them talked about their day between bites.

"You seem to be fitting in better," Keito told him.

Tsukune couldn't think of a way to dispute that, so he simply nodded. Time passed quickly, and the strangest couple at Youkai Academy finished their meal. Keito told him she'd only show the surprise in his room, so the two of them made their way to the human's dwelling, her Enforcer uniform discouraging the onlookers that weren't scared off by Tsukune's reputation. Once they were safe in his room, Keito had chuckled at his barricading the door, Tsukune gave her a look. "Okay, what's in the package?"

"Kuyo asked me to extend another invitation to join the Enforcers," Keito replied, handing him the parcel.

Suspecting he knew what it was, Tsukune tore it open and saw the distinctive black fabric of an Enforcers jacket. "I told you, I won't join the Enforcers."

"Oh, I knew that, but Kuyo hoped the jacket might change your mind."

"Thanks, but I'm not interested," Tsukune replied, handing Keito back the garment.

"I was certain you'd refuse," Keito remarked, "but I decided to give it to you anyways."

"Why?"

"I want to see how it looks on you."

Tsukune noticed the look of anticipation in Keitos' eyes and he reached for the garment, only to be surprised when she pulled it back out of his reach. "I thought you said-"

"JUST the jacket," she whispered huskily, eyes gleaming.

Tsukune blinked. Then he started loosening his tie with his right hand and shrugging his way out of his blazer.

XXX

It was dark outside when Keito and Tsukune spoke again, both of them slick with sweat, the new Enforcers uniform sticking to the both of them. "I'll let Kuyo know you declined his invitation," Keito murmured when she caught her breath.

"I don't think he'll want the jacket back," Tsukune muttered, wrinkling his nose.

"You can keep it," Keito assured him. "But don't worry, these are easy to clean. Blood, ichor, it all washes right out."

Tsukune decided he didn't want to know how Keito knew that. "Can you stay the night…?" he asked almost timidly.

Keito raised an eyebrow. "I don't mind, but why?"

Tsukune hesitated for a moment before giving the honest answer. "I don't sleep well alone…"

"I can't do that every night," Keito told him. "But I will tonight. Did you get a hair dryer?"

"Toothbrushes too."

"Good boy," Keito cooed. "But we won't be sleeping right away…"

"Of course," Tsukune agreed, meeting Keito's lips with his own.

After they fell asleep in each other's arms, Tsukune was blessed once again with a slumber utterly devoid of nightmares.

End of Part Nine.

Author's Notes: Pre-read by random1377 and mereo flere.


	10. Silk and Scales

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Rosario + Vampire:

He Who Fights Monsters…

Chapter Ten: Silk and Scales

Written by: Hawker_748

Tsukune made his way up the stairs of his dormitory, his breathing now slow and composed after the exertions of the cross country run. He was covered with a film of sweat, and his shirt sleeves were dark from where he'd wiped his forehead, but he still felt exhilarated. This time everyone in the club had made an honest effort to catch him, and while only Ichiro had come close, it still made his first place finish all the sweeter. The other members might still go out of their way to avoid him, but at least they weren't afraid to challenge him on the course anymore

'As long as that's the only place they challenge me,' Tsukune thought grimly. While he was unbeatable while running, if one of them ever decided to challenge him to a fight, unless he got very lucky, again, he was no match in a straight fight. Even his propensity to fight dirty might not work out if his foe was wary enough to not give Tsukune a hidden edge. His only hope was that taking down a vampire would continue to be a big enough deterrent to anyone who decided they wanted to be the alpha student at Youkai Academy. The human continued to consider his situation as he reached the fourth floor landing, looking forward to getting cleaned up in his room.

"Tsukune…"

Freezing mid-stride Tsukune slowly turned his head to look over his shoulder. He thought he'd recognized the gentle voice, and the glance revealed it was Saori slowly making her way up the stairs towards him. The human felt equally awkward and on guard as his former suitor approached him; he flexed his right hand nervously, the not very comforting presence of his knife at the small of his back more prominent now. Saori had gone out of her way to avoid him during meals and wouldn't meet his eyes during class, but she'd never come up to him in private before. The hallways were empty and the idea of her trying something violent made him sweat for a different reason.

"Saori." The urge to bolt to his room was powerful. He had a barricade, and some heavier weapons, but maybe trying to talk things out might be better.

If Saori was planning vengeance, it didn't show on her face, she was the picture of serenity. "I was upset," she told him unnecessarily.

Tsukune fidgeted. "I-I didn't mean to hurt you," he murmured.

"Please, can I just explain?"

'That's supposed to be my line,' Tsukune thought with grim humor. "Go ahead."

"At first I didn't understand why you went back with her," Saori told him. "I would have done anything to make you happy. Anything." The way she had said that last word sent a thrill down Tsukune's spine. "But, I understand why you did it."

"You do?" he whispered, wondering if he was in danger or not, despite the calmness of his gut.

"She was your first love. And I'm okay with that."

"You are…?"

"Yes," she replied with a gentle smile, stepping close to him and stroking his sweaty cheek with the back of her fingers. "I don't mind if you're with her, I can see you on the sssssside…"

Tsukune's eyes went wide when Saori shifted into her monster form; it took him a moment to realize that while she stayed the same from the waist up, her lower half transformed into a long coiled snake. 'Lamia,' the human told himself, a sudden urge to void his bladder gripping him. Saori was giving him a look that would have made most men's heart race, but she had unknowingly struck a nerve in the human.

Tsukune was absolutely terrified of snakes. Had been his entire life. Keito might have arachnid legs, extra eyes, and mandibles the size of butcher knives, but she didn't have scales, or a long serpent tail that coiled under her. The human bit his lip to keep from letting out a horrified shriek, his habit of concealing fear all that kept him from turning into a babbling, incoherent wreck.

"You can have Keito," Saori whispered, a long forked tongue flicking out between her lips, gently tickling Tsukune on the nose, nearly making him soil himself. "I'll be your missstresss…"

Tsukune was trembling, but the lamia didn't recognize it as fear, attributing it to excitement. "I-I'm not comfortable with this," he practically whimpered, his eyes flicking back and forth.

Saori used the tip of her tail to caress Tsukune's face, making him shudder. "I made certain Keito won't know, that she isn't around," she assured the panicked human. "I know how to be disssscrete…"

"D-did you look up…?"

"Look up?" Saori turned her head to follow Tsukune's gaze, her eyes going wide at the sight of Keito clinging to the ceiling in her full monster form, her mandibles dripping, all of her eyes narrowed in fury.

Before the lamia could make a move Keito launched a web at her would be rival, covering Saori with a virtual net, drawing it tight and immobilizing the long haired girl. The spiderwoman leapt from the ceiling and began to wrap Saori up like a moth trapped in a web. "You really should have kept away," Keito chittered. "You might have lived longer…"

"Keito, wait…" Tsukune called out. Now that the lamia wasn't in his face he could think more clearly. He gestured over with his head for his girlfriend to follow him a discrete distance away. "Can I ask you a favor?" he said softly when Saori couldn't overhear them.

"You want me to make you a pair of boots? Maybe a wallet?"

Tsukune shook his head, and looked into Keito's eyes. The two that she had when she was in her human form. "Can you not kill her? Please?"

For a moment Keito stared at him blankly; then she began to tremble. "So, I should just let her be, get away with it? Or do you want to see other women?"

"No. NO! Not at all," Tsukune replied instantly. He should have guessed Keito would see it like that. "It's just…" he paused, trying to figure out the best way to phrase it. "S-she didn't try to hurt me, and I don't think she'll do it again." The terror in Saori's eyes as she struggled vainly against the webbing was palpable.

Keito worked her mandibles, hissing in naked frustration at her boyfriend's request. "You don't expect me to just let this go, do you?" she chittered.

"No, I didn't say that," Tsukune admitted. "Just let her live, that's all."

Keito moved so that her face was inches from Tsukune's. "Your humanity is showing," she hissed, before cocking her head to the side. "Were you scared of her...?"

"No," Tsukune replied quickly.

The spiderwoman figured it was a little too quickly. "You seem to be trembling."

"It-it's just adrenalin," he insisted, hating himself for the brief stammer.

"...right..."

Keito tromped back towards the trapped lamia, dragging her away by a strand of spider silk. "I'll see you at dinner," she called back as she pulled the helpless Saori down the stairway.

Tsukune let out a shuddering sigh as he headed for his room; being face to face with Keito's monster form was easier than facing a woman who was half snake. His hands were trembling as he unlocked his room, fumbling with the doorknob with sweaty fingers before finally getting safe inside. After locking and barricading the door, Tsukune finally let himself show the fear he'd suppressed. Shaking like a leaf he frantically scrubbed his face with his sweaty shirt, knowing logically that snakes weren't slimy, but still feeling like he needed to clean himself after Saori's touch.

Shucking off his damp clothes Tsukune shambled to the shower, letting the hot water wash over him, rinsing him off and finally calming him down as he managed to push away the memory of Saori's tail trailing down his cheek. The rational part of him knew that this all stemmed from the time in kindergarten when a classmate had put a garter snake down the back of his shirt. The coiling, writhing mass had reduced him to a blubbering, incoherent state, and even to this day he found it difficult to even look at pictures of snakes without trembling.

Tsukune had always thought that Saori was attractive, but he'd never be able to look at her again without thinking about her snaky lower half. He rinsed himself off, turned off the water and began to use the towel to dry himself. It was hard to not consider the prospect that he'd almost asked her out officially during a spike of jealousy when he saw Keito with someone he'd thought was her new beau. Tsukune wasn't going to shun her, he wasn't that frightened of her, but even if Keito dropped him and Saori said she was fine with his humanity, he wouldn't be able to see himself with her.

After he was dry, not bothering with the hair dryer Keito favored, Tsukune changed back into his usual school uniform, feeling far more settled than he had after meeting Saori. Dressed and armed up, the human unbarricaded and unlocked the door before heading to the cafeteria for dinner. He was a little surprised to see Keito sanguinely leaning against the wall next to the entrance; she usually seemed to materialize behind him after he'd sat down.

"Good evening," she called out, fixing him with a sardonic smile.

"You too," Tsukune replied as he walked up to her.

Keito pushed off the wall, her face moving close enough to Tsukune's that he could feel her breath. He believed she was going to kiss him, but she simply drawled, "Was the big, bad Tsukune afraid of the cute widdle snake…?"

Tsukune felt himself blush and scowl. "There was nothing 'cute' or 'widdle' about that snake."

"But her girl half is so cute," Keito pointed out with sarcastic sweetness.

"Yeah? Well, her lower half isn't," Tsukune growled, working to suppress a shudder.

Keito smirked at her boyfriend. "I know you don't mind spiders," she remarked. "But is there anything else that gives you the willies?"

Tsukune shook his head. "Only snakes." Granted, he'd faced creatures far deadlier than snakes, but they were at the top of the scary pile, as far as mundane things went. The chuckle Keito let out as they walked into the cafeteria made Tsukune uneasy. As they filled their trays, the human noticed a bit of commotion coming from the dining hall; since he hadn't walked in yet he figured it wasn't about him, but he put himself on guard nonetheless.

When Tsukune walked into the dining room, he nearly dropped his tray in shock. Since he'd started attending Youkai Academy he'd seen things that astonished him, but this exceeded everything so far. Saori was at his usual table. Or rather, she was hanging over it. She was clearly alive, but restrained, Keito's webbing hog-tying her as she dangled from the ceiling by a single thread. She was swaying slightly as she struggled to escape, the gag in her mouth muffling her cries or sobs. And she was wrapped up not on a cocoon, but shibari style, which allowed everyone to gaze upon her naked body.

"See? I didn't kill her," Keito told him as she surveyed her work next to him.

"You hung her up there NAKED…?"

"You told me not to kill her," Keito replied with a shrug. "So this time I tried something different."

"I didn't think you'd-… Wait. 'This time?'" Tsukune held up his hand before Keito could say anything. "Never mind, I don't want to know…" The human didn't mean to stare up at the helpless girl, but he couldn't look away. Virtually everyone was watching her, pointing, and in many, many cases taking pictures with mobile phones. Saori's eyes met his, and Tsukune could see tears running down her cheeks, and he was certain she'd be sobbing if the gag wasn't keeping her silent. Glancing over at Keito, Tsukune saw a look of open satisfaction on the spiderwoman's face as she clearly savoured her rival's misery. He'd held out a small hope that their relationship would have a more humanizing effect on her; but as he felt himself resume his course towards his table, Tsukune wondered if she'd leached away more of his humanity.

As he sat down Tsukune tried to ignore the occasional drops hitting the tabletop, silently sending out an apology to Saori, and even wondering for a moment if it would have been more merciful to let Keito simply kill her than subject her to the humiliation. The human ate in silence, not bothering to chat with his girlfriend, who seemed content to simply stay with him while they ate. The quiet in the cafeteria allowed Tsukune to hear the chuckles of those who'd observed Saori's predicament, as well as the faint sound of muffled sobs, and the sound of tear drops striking the table seemed painfully loud.

Tsukune and Keito ate in an uncomfortable silence until the human finished his meal and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "We should do something this weekend," Keito remarked.

"You're talking about a date now?" Tsukune murmured.

"Of course," Keito explained as if talking to a child. "This is the last weekend before break, it'd be a shame to waste it."

When he found himself nodding, Tsukune knew he'd lost yet another facet of his humanity. "What are you doing during break?"

The spiderwoman shrugged. "I'll be staying here, an Enforcer's work is never done."

"So what do you want to do?"

"Let's go swimming."

"S-swimming…? Is that safe?" Tsukune wondered.

"Of course," Keito assured him. "They drained the pool and bleached the sides, it's as good as new."

"That isn't what I meant," the human replied, uncomfortable at the reminder. "I saw… something… in the water with me."

"Was probably a member of the swimming club. But don't worry, I reserved the entire pool for the afternoon."

"You can do that? But, it's still out in the open."

"You can still bring your knife," she reminded him. "Besides, you're out in the open now, right?"

"True," Tsukune admitted. "But I'm not comfortable-"

"If it'll help, you can pretend you're going to kill me."

"What? That's-"

"Is murder the only way to get you in the water?"

The human felt his hackles rise as he saw Keito giving him a condescending look. He knew he was being baited, but at this point he no longer cared. "What time?"

Smirking, Keito replied, "Saturday, after classes. Get changed into your suit and wait in my office. I'll meet you after I deal with a minor issue."

"Minor issue?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," she explained nonchalantly. "Now, as much as I'd love to have you make my toes curl, I'm busy tonight, so I'll have to take a rain check."

Tsukune let out a sigh. "I guess I'll be alright." Truth be told he wasn't really in the mood now, and even if he had been, being with Keito while Saori was hanging up there would have felt awkward. "H-how's she going to get down?" he asked quietly.

"The custodial staff will get her down," Keito responded glibly as she got to her feet. "I'll see you in the morning. Pleasant dreams."

'I doubt it," Tsukune thought, watching the spiderwoman stroll out of the dining room. Picking up his tray the human left it in the rack and walked out, pausing briefly at the exit to give one last look at Saori. 'I'm sorry,' he called out silently, before making his way back to his dorm and his room.

Safely ensconced inside, Tsukune stripped down to his skivvies and dropped to the floor. He started doing push-ups with a mechanical rhythm, trying to empty his mind, focusing on the growing pain in his arms and shoulders rather than have to face his own guilt over the fate of his unlucky suitor. He didn't bother keeping count, but it must have been well into the hundreds before his shuddering arms refused to push him back up off the floor. Crawling into bed, not bothering to brush his teeth, Tsukune was quickly overtaken by sleep, his dreams now haunted by images of snakes in addition to the regular horrors.

XXX

Tsukune twirled his pen in his fingers, keeping one eye on the clock as he waited for Saturday's classes to end. Ms. Nekonome was valiantly attempting to keep her students attention until the end of class, but it was obvious they were anxious to get the day over with and start their weekend. Looking over to his side, Tsukune suppressed a sigh when he saw that Saori's seat was still empty.

She hadn't been hanging in the cafeteria the following morning, but she hadn't shown up for class either. Saori had effectively vanished from the school, and after a few days Ms. Nekonome stopped calling her name when she took attendance. Considering the humiliation she'd faced at the hands of Tsukune's girlfriend, he wasn't surprised that she'd decided to leave rather than face everyone.

He tried very hard to not even think about the other way Saori could have escaped the shame. He had enough blood on his conscience from people he'd killed intentionally…

Changing his train of thought, the human noticed that his classmates no longer watched him like he was a mad dog with a frayed leash. They were still a little guarded around him, but no one dove into a classroom when he was coming down the hallways anymore either. Tsukune figured it was better that way; if he was too frightening, others might decide to band together for the greater good. As it was now only Keito and Ichiro were close to him; others were polite, but they kept their distance. A few classmates would talk to him between classes, but it seemed they were just trying to keep on friendly terms with him.

When the dismissal bell finally rung Tsukune felt his lips turning upwards in a ghost of a smile. He and Keito would be going for a swim today, and even though he'd seen her naked several times, he was kind of looking forward to seeing her in a swimsuit. Slipping his books into his satchel the human stood up to make his exit, when a voice called out from behind him.

"Excuse me, Tsukune. Could you help me?"

Casting a discrete glance around the class and not seeing any boxes at all, Tsukune nodded at his teacher, patiently waiting for the classroom to empty. When the last student filed out, Ms. Nekonome locked the door and turned to face her student. "Why?"

"Why shouldn't I?" he replied, knowing full well what she was referring to.

"You're different Tsukune," Shizuka told him, making him wonder briefly if she knew what he was.

"What do you mean by that?"

Shizuka took off her glasses and set them on the desk. "I've seen a lot of students come and go," she explained. "Most of them couldn't pass as a human if their lives depended on it And those who could were all cruel, violent, and petty. You aren't…"

"I killed five students," Tsukune murmured, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I'm pretty violent…"

"That was mostly self-defence," she pointed out. "Maybe you went too far with Harunobu, but no one here would blame you. You're the best student to ever come here, -and I don't mean your grades- so why would you be with… with… HER?"

"Who else would want me?" Tsukune whispered.

"What are you talking about? Any girl here would love to be with you!" Shizuka insisted. "I've seen how they look at you, why not be with someone else?"

"Why do you care?" Tsukune wondered.

The teacher coughed into her hand, a faint twinge shading her cheeks. "You-you're my student, I'm supposed to look out for your safety… Keito's so violent, so dangerous, you could get killed being with her."

Tsukune shook his head. "If Keito wanted to kill me, she'd have done it already," he told his teacher. "I like being with her, and-and she accepts me, for what I really am."

"And what's that?"

Looking his teacher straight in her eyes, and wondering if how he felt was giving him a sad smile, Tsukune answered. "A monster…"

"I don't understand."

Nodding solemnly, Tsukune started to walk out. "I know." The human went to the door and unlocked it. He thought he heard Ms. Nekonome take a breath as if to call out to him, but there was only silence as he slipped into the hallway to head back to his dorm to prepare to go swimming with Keito.

XXX

Ms. Nekonome watched her student walk almost forlornly out of her class and close the door behind him, leaving the nekomata alone with her thoughts. She was a little surprised to note she had a rather strong impulse to chase after Tsukune and try to convince him he was better than he thought he was. She had always been genuinely concerned about her students, even the ones she secretly knew weren't going to be able to cope with the human world, but what she felt for Tsukune felt different somehow. Deciding that it wouldn't be worth it going after him and possibly making a scene, she slipped her glasses back on and let out a sigh.

"Sighing by yourself in an empty room," an arrogant voice called out. "Must mean you're an old maid…"

Ms. Nekonome started at the unexpected insult, then bristled when she recognized the voice. "What rock are you hiding under, insect?" She nearly let out a yelp when one of the windows slid open so hard the panes rattled.

"Arachnid," Keito pointed out, using her spider legs to crawl in the open window, retracting the extra legs into her Enforcer uniform when she was inside. "Shouldn't a teacher know that?"

Refusing to be cowed by the superior air Keito radiated, Shizuka flattened her ears and glared. "Shouldn't you have been in class instead of wasting time climbing walls?"

"An Enforcer's duty is never wasted time," the spiderwoman replied smugly. "If we had your work ethic, the school newspaper would still be publishing lies. Say, don't you have an issue coming out? Not that anyone would care…"

Ms. Nekonome's eyes narrowed. "Our next issue comes out next Thursday."

"Excellent," Keito crowed. "Now there'll be something the students can use to wrap fish, or line bird cages."

"Oh, we're expanding," Shizuka snapped back. "We even have some advertisements, on for a pest control service, to kill unwanted bugs."

"Very good," Keito replied glibly. "You should try classifieds as well. 'Lonely, desperate teacher seeks lover, students welcome to apply.'"

The spiderwoman's mocking tone made the teacher flinch, but the implication cut even deeper. "Are you making some slanderous allegation?" she regarded archly.

Keito crossed her arms and gave the teacher a sardonic smile. "There have been some suggestions that your feelings for Mr. Aono are… inappropriate."

The nekomata's face twisted into an enraged snarl. "How dare you?" she shot back vehemently, surprising herself with her own indignation. "You want to crush dissent, fine, but don't you EVER question my integrity," Shizuka hissed.

The spiderwoman nodded, seeming quite pleased with the reaction, galling the teacher even more. "Very good. I'll be glad to note in my report that you're not that foolish, or pathetic, to get involved with a student."

"Do you have some other reason for being here, and keeping me from grading these assignments?" Ms. Nekonome wondered crossly, giving the Enforcer her best glare.

Keito kept her usual sardonic smile in place, ignoring the teacher's fury. "There is one last thing, before I leave you to your papers." The spiderwoman suddenly lunged in front of Shizuka, her violet eyes blazing into the teacher's scant inches away. "If I even THINK you're trying to get closer to MY Tsukune," Keito rasped harshly, "I'll spay you myself! With a red hot poker!"

Ms. Nekonome recoiled in fear, faint whimpers escaping from her lips as the Enforcer blatantly threatened her. The teacher's legs buckled and she would have fallen to the floor if she hadn't been next to her desk.

"Good luck with your corrections," Keito told her sweetly, giving her a jaunty wave and slipping out of the classroom through the door, leaving the shaken teacher trembling on her desk.

XXX

After dropping off his school bag and changing into his swimsuit –and he'd told his mom he wouldn't need one, but she'd convinced him otherwise- Tsukune strolled back to the main school building, a loose shirt covering the knife he carried at the small of his back, a lighter and small aerosol an inconspicuous bulge in a pocket. Tsukune really hoped no one in the swimming club, or any club really, tried to exact revenge when he was in the water, or he'd be a sitting duck.

Slipping back into the school building, Tsukune went to the stairs and climbed up to the floor where the School Protection committee had their offices. Reaching the floor the human almost froze when he saw three students in Enforcers uniforms milling in the hallway. Forcing himself to keep calm and keep moving, he strode confidently forward, not showing any fear. Tsukune did pause when he realized he didn't know which office was Keito's, he hadn't bothered to take note of the number the one time he'd been there. Smiling thinly to hide his nervousness, the human went up to the nearest black clad figure and tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me…"

The Enforcer whirled on Tsukune harshly. "What do… you… want…?" The snarl died off as a look of recognition registered on the student's face.

"Which office is Keito's?" Tsukune asked politely, making sure he kept a smile on his face.

"Not… Not Kuyo's?" the taller boy murmured.

"Keito's," the human replied. "She told me to wait for her there. We're going swimming…"

The other student seemed to finally notice the unusual attire and the towel Tsukune had over his shoulder. "Swimming. Right. Second door on the left," he pointed out, taking a respectful step back.

"Thank you," Tsukune acknowledged with a nod, walking towards the door in question, his heart rate audible in his ears. He did notice that the others in the hallway were watching him warily as he passed, before he slipped into Keito's office. In the gloom that he remembered, Tsukune felt the wall next to the door looking for a light switch, finally finding it and flipping it up. There wasn't a lot of difference, but at least he could now make out the edges of the room and wouldn't have to stumble blindly in the dark.

There were cobwebs everywhere, full sized webs between the walls and floor, but the human was somewhat relieved that there didn't seem to be any cocoons in any of them. It occurred to him that there could be some clinging to the ceiling, but Tsukune couldn't bring himself to look up, deciding he preferred the ambiguity. Glancing around for a place to sit that wouldn't lead to him getting snared by sticky filaments, Tsukune's foot happened to kick something across the floor. Bending down, the human took hold of it and looked at the object in the gloom.

It took a few seconds before he realized that it was a bra, literally covered with dust. 'Who's is this?' he wondered. Keito would never be considered flat chested, something Tsukune could vouch for, but this garment had been for someone with a truly enormous bust; each cup looked as if it could easily contain a cantaloupe, and Tsukune had no idea why it would be in his girlfriend's office. As his eyes adjusted to the low light, the human saw something else on the floor. It looked like some kind of hair clip, with a shooting star design. He was about to pick it up when he heard the sound of the doorknob turning. Not wanting Keito to see him possibly carrying another woman's undergarments, Tsukune tossed the bra into the gloom and did his best to try and forget about it.

For a few moments Keito was backlit from the hallway before she slipped into her poorly lit office. "Did I keep you waiting long?" she asked.

Tsukune shook his head. "Just got here myself."

Keito walked over to a closet, absently undoing her Enforcers jacket and hanging it up. "Give me a few minutes to get changed," she called out, making no effort to conceal herself as she slipped out of her uniform. Hanging her outfit into the closet, allowing Tsukune to see her heart shaped bottom, Keito took out her swimsuit and slipped it on. It turned out to be a black one piece, sending a brief spike of disappointment to her observer, but when his girlfriend slipped the straps up her shoulders and turned to face him, he saw it wasn't a typical school swimsuit.

It had a neckline that plunged well past her navel, with twin strips that covered just enough of her breasts to be decent. Tsukune could have stared at her all day, but the expectant look Keito was wearing snapped him out of it. "Wow…"

"Glad you like it," Keito replied dryly, slipping her feet into some deck slippers. At least, Tsukune guessed they were deck slippers.

He'd just never seen a pair that had stiletto heels before. "You're going out dressed like that?"

"Of course not," Keito assured him, pulling on a white shirt and using it like a robe.

The shirt looked familiar to Tsukune. "Isn't that mine?"

"Yes. I took it from your closet," Keito told him. "Do you want it back?"

"Keep it…"

The spiderwoman smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that," she cooed. "It smells like you…" Keito then hugged it to herself and trembled.

Averting his eyes so he wouldn't have any embarrassing bulges when walking through the halls, Tsukune tried to think of something else to occupy his mind. "You ready?"

"Let's go."

After Keito turned out the light and locked her office the two of them made their way through the hallway. Tsukune noticed some of the other Enforcers glancing over at Keito, but they quickly averted their eyes, either out of respect for her, or possibly out of fear of one or the other of them.

Or perhaps the both of them.

Leaving the building and walking into what passed for a nice day at Youkai Academy, the two of them strolled towards the pool. The students around them subtlety cleared a path for them, and then the human and the spiderwoman arrived at the deserted pool. "Where is everyone?" Tsukune wondered. The pool always seemed busy on weekends.

"I told you, I reserved it," Keito reminded him, sounding as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You can do that?"

"Of course."

Shaking his head in amazement at the power his girlfriend could wield, Tsukune took the opportunity to walk slowly around the pool, carefully watching the water, making certain that there wasn't anything lurking under the surface. His eyes were drawn to the spot where Moka's body had disintegrated, but the water was crystal clear, with no sign of her or any other creature under water. Feeling as assured as he was going to, without the use of depth charges anyway, Tsukune slipped out of his shirt, dropped it and his towel onto a table, kicked off his shoes and ran for the pool.

Leaping into the air at the edge of the deck and shaping himself into a dive, the human knifed into the clear water. The frigid temperature hit him like a slap, nearly making him cry out underwater; his form disappeared, and he struggled to reach the surface, letting out a hoarse cry as he took a breath. "Graahhh!"

Keito lurched up on the lounge she'd been reclining on. "Tsukune! What's wrong?"

"C-cold…" he managed to force out through chattering teeth.

Giving the human a disgusted look, the spiderwoman eased back down onto the lounge. "Sounded like you'd run into a shark," Keito grumbled. "It's not like you haven't jumped in there before…"

"Don't remember it being this cold," he mumbled, treading water to keep afloat and try to fight off the chills. Now that the shock had worn off, Tsukune managed to get a good look at Keito. She was laying carefree on the lounge, a towel under her, and making absolutely no effort to cover up what her swimsuit revealed. The confident, alluring smile she was wearing, as well as her impressive cleavage made Tsukune decide that maybe a dunking in cold water hadn't been such a bad idea.

Realizing that treading water and staring at his girlfriend wasn't much of a way to pass the time, Tsukune began to butterfly stroke his way back and forth across the pool. He'd always been a pretty good swimmer, and this was the first chance he'd had to try it since arriving. Tsukune had briefly considered even joining the swim club, but decided his prospects for survival were probably better on dry land.

Sharks and piranha were only dangerous on their own turf after all…

Continuing his laps, and wishing his mind wasn't thoughtfully repeating two ominous notes in his head, Tsukune felt the long forgotten sensation of his arms and legs working at once, having become accustomed to running or push-ups. He didn't have any way of timing himself, but it seemed like he was a lot faster in the water than he'd ever been, or perhaps the pool was simply shorter. Tsukune was also certain that he was able to do more laps than he'd ever been able to before, but after what felt like ten minutes he began to feel self-conscious about swimming by himself. He'd also realized that he hadn't seen a single other student near the pool, regardless of its popularity.

Swimming to the edge of the pool closest to Keito, pulling himself up on his elbows and absently wiping his wet hair from his face, Tsukune called out to his girlfriend. "Why'd you invite me swimming if you're just going to lounge around?"

"Maybe I just wanted to see you in a swimsuit," Keito replied archly.

"Swimming alone is dangerous," Tsukune pointed out. "And the water's not bad once you get used to it."

"This suit isn't really made for swimming," Keito admitted after some contemplation.

"I noticed," Tsukune remarked dryly, before something else occurred to him. "Can you even swim?"

For the first time he could remember, Keito looked uncomfortable. "Arachnids tend to avoid large bodies of water…"

The human pursed his lips. "Is it dangerous for you?"

Keito gave him a sour look. "I've used your shower, haven't I?" she shot back.

Now Tsukune felt embarrassed. "That's true," he recalled lamely, before he regained his composure. "Then come on in, I'll give you a hand."

Looking like she couldn't decide whether she wanted to hug or strangle Tsukune, Keito took off her shoes and walked towards the ladder at the shallow end of the pool, Tsukune swimming up to meet her. Hesitating at the top of the ladder, the spiderwoman briefly closed her eyes and let out a breath before seeming to focus and taking one step down. She cringed when her foot entered the water, pulling it back out. "It's cold," she hissed.

"That's what I said. You'll get used to it," Tsukune assured her.

Not wanting to let a mere human get the better of her, even if she was the only one who would know that, Keito entered the water, ending up chest high. The pool felt like it had been filled with melted ice just before they arrived, and Keito briefly wondered why Tsukune wasn't shivering. "You're right, it's not so bad," she forced out, a tight smile on her face. She tried hard to maintain her dignity, especially since she could feel herself reacting unconsciously to the cold water, further making her regret her choice of swimsuit.

Tsukune did notice a pair of peaks appearing under his girlfriend's swimsuit, but he was too polite, or not reckless enough, to mention them. "You should go under completely, get used to the water."

Keito gave him a wry look. "Last girl you were here with died," she reminded him unnecessarily. "Will I be safe if I do that…?"

The human felt his eyes narrow. "Just do it," he growled.

"I'd feel safer with a lifeguard," the spiderwoman taunted briefly before crouching down under the surface of the water, her long violet hair billowing out before she came back up. Using her hands to push her wet hair back over her shoulders, she gave the human an expectant look. "Now what?"

"Take my hand," Tsukune told her, relieved that her grip didn't make the bones in his hand creak. "Lay flat and start kicking."

Keito pushed off the bottom of the pool and started kicking wildly, needing a few seconds to get herself floating properly. Once she'd settled down her kicking sent less water splashing onto the deck and began to propel her through the water, Tsukune slowly walking to allow her to make progress. The two of them went back and forth a few times in the shallow end before Tsukune headed for the deep end, treading water when the level went over his head. They kept this up for about ten minutes, clumsily moving back and forth in the pool, until Tsukune saw that Keito's expression became more comfortable.

"That's good, now we'll see how you do alone," Tsukune declared. "Try using your arms like this…" The human demonstrated a couple breast stroke motions a few times before standing up, watching as Keito tried to copy him.

"This better work," Keito muttered.

"Don't worry, I'll be right here," Tsukune promised.

Looking really uncomfortable, Keito let herself float for a second before awkwardly attempting what her boyfriend had shown her. She experienced a brief surge of panic when her head went under the surface of the water, but once she managed to get her rhythm down, her progress improved. Once Keito finally started to feel comfortable, she glanced over and saw Tsukune swimming alongside her, feeling a touch of annoyance that he hardly seemed to be putting in any effort to keep pace with her.

Keito increased the speed of her kicking and arm movements, using her natural advantage in strength, but she discovered that Tsukune was easily able to keep up with her, and she swore she saw him give her a grin before he pulled ahead easily, leaving her in his wake. The two of them kept up their impromptu race, Keito exerting herself as hard as she could, managing to catch up with Tsukune, but try as she might she couldn't take the lead. Eventually she tired out, slowly making her way back to the edge of the pool and pulled herself onto the deck.

As Keito sat on the edge of the pool, Tsukune continued to cut through the water like a torpedo, his pace never wavering. The spiderwoman could see some students at the outer edge of the pool area, trying to look like they weren't curious, and shuffling away when Keito gave them a hard look. After what seemed like forever, Tsukune finally swam over to the edge of the pool, and Keito suppressed a scowl when she noticed he wasn't even breathing hard. "Sure you aren't a mermaid?" she grumbled.

"Don't have the legs for it," he quipped blandly. "You know what I am, I was always a good swimmer, and all that running…" Tsukune shrugged. "My endurance is better."

Keito absently brushed wet hair off of her face. "This chlorine is going to ruin my hair…"

"You've had enough?"

"Yeah, I'm worn out," the spiderwoman admitted, slowly rising to her feet and walking back to the lounge and her towel. Tsukune effortlessly shot out of the pool and followed her, his eyes drawn like magnets to Keito's shapely ass, clearly visible in her T-back swimsuit. Using his own towel to scrub his hair, the human tried to think of something else, even if the cold water meant that pitching a tent wasn't going to be an issue. "You mind if we call it a day?" Keito asked him.

Tsukune nodded. "Sure, it's almost dinnertime anyways."

Keito finished rubbing herself with her towel and slipped Tsukune's shirt on, some of the water still on her body making it cling to her form. "We'll go eat, after we stop at your room."

"My room? What for?" Tsukune wondered.

"I have to get this chlorine out of my hair," she stated imperiously. "You're going to help me scrub."

Tsukune opened his mouth and then closed it. "Sure," he mumbled, slipping his shoes back on and falling into step with Keito as she started off towards his dorm.

They would miss dinner that night, and didn't make it into the cafeteria until lunch the next day.

XXX

Tsukune adjusted his grip on his bag and moved his backpack to a more comfortable position. It was finally break week, and he'd be able to go home for a while, as would most of the other students, although a few of them, Keito included, would be staying at Youkai Academy. He was waiting at the bus stop where he'd arrived. Seemingly a lifetime ago, with a small group of students for his scheduled ride back to the human world. Tsukune didn't recognize anyone in his group, but they were all keeping a discrete distance away, and no one looked like they were willing to strike up a conversation, so it looked like this would be another lonely experience.

"Hey Tsukune!"

The human looked up at the unexpected but familiar voice, a smile appearing on his face. "Thought you wouldn't be leaving until later Ichiro."

The cross country president walked over and gave Tsukune a friendly clap on the shoulder. "I heard you were on this one, so I swapped with a classmate. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all," Tsukune replied, absently working his shoulder to try to clear away the ache. He then noticed Ichiro was giving him a rather peculiar look. "Is something wrong?"

"Your fly's open."

The human flushed a bit and discretely zipped himself back up. "Thanks…"

"Don't mention it. But…"

"What?"

"The back of your shirt isn't tucked in," the werewolf pointed out. "And the buttons on your shirt, they don't seem to line up either…"

Tsukune went even redder as he tried to tuck his shirt in without anyone noticing. "Keito came to kiss my goodbye," he murmured.

"Just a kiss?"

"It started as one," Tsukune replied. "Then she… went a little farther. I barely had enough time to get redressed and get here…"

Ichiro just gave Tsukune a blank look before shaking his head. "Wish I had your problems…"

"No. You don't," Tsukune answered sincerely.

Any further discussion was pre-empted when the bus pulled up to the stop, the doors opened Tsukune noticed that it was the same strange man who'd been driving when he'd first arrived. Filing this away as just another odd little quirk of where he attended school, the human and the werewolf boarded the bus and sat next to each other, the bus then pulling away and heading for the tunnel. The two of them chatted quietly during the ride, comparing plans for the time off, and promising to have a good run when they returned.

When the bus exited the tunnel Tsukune was astonished to realize that they were in Okinawa, especially since he didn't remember crossing even a creek during the trip, never mind part of the Pacific ocean. A couple of students got off at different spots, and then the bus re-entered the tunnel, coming out after a few minutes in a place it too Tsukune a few moments to realize was in Hokkaido. Five students got off there, including Ichiro, and the human wondered if there would be stops in other countries as well.

After the bus came out of the tunnel the third time, it stopped less than half a block from Tsukune's home. Picking up his bags the human exited the bus and stepped onto the sidewalk, feeling a wave of relief cascading over him as he watched the bus pull away. He was home. He was safe! He could finally relax, there were no monsters here… Or were there?

Tsukune remembered that several students, all of which were monsters, had gotten off the bus before he had, and that many groups had left the school before he did. The entire purpose of Youkai Academy was to allow monsters to blend into the human world, and who knew how long it had been around? How many students had graduated, and were now living in the outside world? A young woman walked by, and Tsukune couldn't keep himself from wondering if she was human or not. In some ways he was more comfortable at school, at least there there was no question that everyone else wasn't human.

Needing to get home before he had a nervous breakdown from his realization, Tsukune walked as quickly as he could to his front door, unlocked it and slipped inside, locking and dead bolting it behind him. "I'm home."

"Tsukune!" His mother practically stampeded to the door and embraced her only son. "I missed you so much!"

"You too mom," he replied, feeling a little more choked up than he expected.

When she finally let go of the hug, Kasumi Aono looked at her son's face, her expression faltering a little. "You look… different…"

Tsukune smiled good naturedly. "I'm still growing, and I've been gone a while."

His mom shook her head. "No, it's not that, you just look… harder…"

Tsukune considered this briefly. His life had been at risk most of the time he'd been away. He'd taken enormous amounts of punishment with improper medical attention. He'd killed five students.

Yeah. He was certain he looked a hell of a lot harder than the naïve teenager he'd been when he left.

But he couldn't let his mom worry about that. "I'm just a little tired, that's all…"

His mother didn't reply immediately, her expression a mixture of worry, some doubt, and relief. But then she smiled again, though it seemed to take a little effort. "Then why don't you go rest before dinner? Your father's out right now, and we'll talk later."

"Sure." Tsukune hugged his mom, picked up his bags and walked into his room, smiling at the familiarity, yet still locking the door. Nothing had been changed, though it wasn't as if he'd expected his parents to put in a karaoke room or something. As he placed his bags on his desk he noticed a family picture taken before he'd left. Picking it up, he looked at his own face, then at the reflection in the mirror. There were a few more lines now than there'd been a few short months ago; a couple stray grey hairs marred his normally brown hair. But the biggest changes were his eyes, which seemed to be permanently narrowed, and the lines of his face. Where he'd once had some soft curves, now there was nothing but angular hardness. If he'd originally been molded from clay, now he looked as if he'd been machined from steel.

Sighing, Tsukune set the picture down, not wanting to consider how much he'd changed since he'd last been in this room. Closing his blinds, after making sure the windows were locked, Tsukune stripped to his skivvies and slipped into bed. He was about to switch off the light, but he couldn't bring himself to do it, even though he was safe in his own bed. He knew monsters were real now, and how did he know one wouldn't come after him even here?

Pulling back his hand, Tsukune laid down his head and dozed fitfully until his mom woke him for dinner. He had plenty of practice pushing away memories of nightmares, and that was no different as he ate with his family for the first time in months.

End of Part Ten.

Author's Notes: Sorry for the long wait. Real life sucks up too much writing time…

Pre-read, as always, by Random1377 and Mereo Flere. All errors are my fault, not theirs.


	11. Humans Being

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Rosario + Vampire:

He Who Fights Monsters…

Chapter Eleven: Humans Being

Written by: Hawker_748

Tsukune kept his fists clenched tightly as he methodically ran along the sidewalk, taking care to not run into any of the few pedestrians that were out at this early hour. Over the previous three mornings he'd come to realize that running on pavement was harder on his feet than running cross-country; still, it had only made his feet a little more sore after the first time, and considering all the punishment he'd absorbed during the school year, it barely registered now. Running with the hustle and bustle of modern civilization was still a strange feeling for the young man, and he found himself looking forward to getting back to the unearthly stillness of the dead forest.

While he wasn't running amongst monsters now, or so he fervently hoped, being back in the human world had its own set of mundane risks. Traffic and pedestrian crossings were unheard of in his normal runs, and accidentally running in front of a truck would kill him just as quick as a monster could, possibly even quicker. Bumping into human strollers would be embarrassing and rude, and stopping to apologize would wreak havoc with his regimen. Besides, he'd never know if he'd inadvertently crashed into another vampire; encountering one had been harrowing enough, a second one would probably be fatal.

Picking up the pace to cross an intersection before the light turned, Tsukune took notice of the time on a clock outside one of the buildings. He'd been running for nearly an hour, and he felt like he'd covered several miles. Satisfied that he'd done well enough for that day, Tsukune slowed to a brisk walk for a few blocks, getting his wind back and wiping his forehead with the sleeves of his shirt. Letting out a yawn he stretched his arms over his head, yanking them back down when he felt the back of his shirt starting to ride up. While he was uncertain of the exact wording of local laws, Tsukune was pretty sure that a combat knife and sheath clipped to his waistband at the small of his back would offend some people's sensibilities.

The first morning after he'd returned Tsukune had started considering how he could build up his arsenal while at home. But he'd quickly realized it wasn't going to be as simple as it looked at first blush. A pistol would have been the answer to many of his problems, but it wasn't as if he could stroll down to the store to pick one up. The only way to get one was with Yakuza connections, or to know someone who had them, and Tsukune was 0 for 2 on that. And even if he'd had them, it wasn't as if they'd just hand one over gratis, and he had no more money to spend than the average high schooler.

If fortune itself had taken pity on him and let him find one in the gutter, it was only an equalizer until it ran out of ammunition, and Tsukune knew there wasn't any to be found at the Youkai Academy store. Harsh and unyielding reality had forced him to forget any notion of bringing a gun back with him.

Tsukune'd also considered a sword; at first glance it made more sense. They were a little easier to get a hold of, and they didn't require bullets either. But on the other hand, he'd never used one before in his life, and if someone was close enough for him to use it, and he screwed up, he was probably a dead man. Also, as difficult to acquire a pistol might have been, at least he'd have been able to conceal it. The only way to hide a sword would have been to slip it down a pant leg, and if walking stiffly was merely embarrassing, trying to draw it would have been a nightmare.

Tasers weren't fatal enough. Poisons were impractical, and he'd be able to get those easily enough back at school, many cleaning agents could be wonderfully toxic. After much consideration Tsukune had come to decide that a bigger knife was the best bet. He'd managed to get a combat knife with a six inch blade, free scabbard included, and Tsukune had spent late into the evening sharpening it in his room with the whetstone he'd also bought.

He wasn't going to throw away the dinner knife he'd spent so much time sharpening. It wasn't for sentimental reasons, Tsukune just figured it was better to have two blades than one.

Pushing aside thoughts of his armaments process, Tsukune started walking towards his home, using the slower walk to get his wind back. He knew by the time he got back home he wouldn't be panting like a racehorse. After cleaning himself up he'd have breakfast with his mom, his father already out the door on his way to work. Tsukune allowed himself to weave between the growing number of pedestrians, keeping himself composed, not letting nightmarish flights of fancy convince him that he was the only human out that morning.

Finally reaching his home, idly wiping himself with his sleeve, Tsukune opened the door and walked in, using his feet to push off his runners. "I'm home."

"Welcome back," his mother called out from the kitchen. "Breakfast will be ready when you get out of the bathroom."

"You didn't need to get up early for me," Tsukune pointed out yet again as he joined his mom in the kitchen, knowing he was wasting his breath. "I could have gotten something myself."

Kasumi Aono shook her head demurely, just as she had every other time her son had made this point. "You're only here for a short time," she reminded him "I won't waste that time by sleeping in, now go get cleaned up."

"Yes mom," Tsukune replied sheepishly. He might be the most feared student at Youkai Academy, but his mom could still make him do anything without a struggle. Slipping into the bathroom the young man tossed his sweaty clothes in the hamper, concealing his knife under a towel. Sluicing off the sweat and dirt with a shower, Tsukune eased himself into the bath, sighing in contentment as the hot water relaxed his tired muscles. After a week of soaking after exercise, going back to just a shower after he returned to class was going to be a letdown.

Cleaned and changed into new clothes, his knife safely hidden in his dresser, Tsukune went to the kitchen table, accepting a bowl of rice from his mother with thanks. He picked up the remote and turned on the TV, something he'd missed while at school.

Click.

"_-declined to comment at this time. Today was the fourth day of the official inquiry into the tragic fire that killed two women when a controlled burn went out of control, destroying hundreds of acres of land, and took a week to extinguish. The head of the development corporation stated that there had been unexplained incidents when they attempted to raze the area, known as Witch's Knoll, conventionally and that a controlled burn was the best option available. He insisted that the area had been cleared beforehand, and the discovery of the charred skeletons of two women was a complete-"_

Click.

"I was watching that…" Tsukune flinched at the disapproving look his mother gave him, meekly acquiescing and continuing to eat.

"Where do you run each morning?" Mrs. Aono asked her son.

"Just around the neighborhood," Tsukune replied. "No real course, just go where I feel."

"You never used to jog," his mother pointed out.

Tsukune shrugged. "School changed me a little. Besides, it's a great way to stay in shape."

Kasumi Aono looked her son over; it was obvious that he'd grown a little in his time away from home, but it wasn't as simple as he might have stated. There was an unfamiliar hardness about him that wasn't simply the product of getting older. Even when he should have been at ease he always seemed to be vigilant, his eyes never staying long in one place, but always flittering about. And when she'd accidentally dropped a glass the other day, Tsukune had lurched up from the table, before realizing what had happened and sheepishly sitting back down.

But anytime she asked her son how things were going at school, he'd shrug, give her a half assed smile and say everything was fine. It was obvious something was bothering him, but he wasn't ready to talk about it now. She hoped that one day he'd bring himself to be honest with her; but deep down she was worried he'd take his secret to his grave.

Tsukune ate in silence, nodding in thanks to his mom, but not really ready to talk with her either. He'd become so accustomed to eating in silence that conversing made him uneasy. He did talk with his girlfriend during meals, but she was the exception to the rule; it helped that no one would be crazy enough to try something when she was with him as well. Finishing his breakfast, Tsukune wiped his mouth with a napkin and excused himself.

"What are you going to be doing today?" his mother asked.

"Just some assigned reading," he replied. "There's going to be a test when we get back."

Kasumi Aono nodded. "Then don't let me hold you up."

Nodding in appreciation, Tsukune made his way into his room, locking the door behind him. Taking out his textbook and setting it on his desk he opened it to the assigned chapter. He started reading it from a standing position, practising drawing his new knife quickly. Tsukune had discovered that it was harder to pull out than he'd anticipated, and he'd vowed to make sure he got good at it before the break was over. For the next few hours the only sounds in the room were the rustle of a page turning, and the quiet metallic sound of a knife being pulled and sheathed.

XXX

Paranoid.

Generally defined as an extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others.

Tsukune had always been aware of paranoia, even before starting at Youkai Academy, but he'd never experienced the crushing weight of it until after he'd returned home. Oh, he'd learned to be vigilant while away at school, but he'd always been able to take grim comfort in the idea that he was the stranger in a strange land, and that most everyone would just as soon kill him as look at him if his humanity came to light.

However, the days Tsukune had spent at home, running through the city, studying, and interacting with supposedly normal people, had caused an unexpected reaction in the young man. The idea that there could be monsters everywhere, when he was out running, out for dinner with his parents, or walking by his house, was chipping away at his nerves, and probably his sanity as well. Hiding in his room would have been the easy way to deal with it, but Tsukune didn't want to spend the rest of his life as a shut in.

So the human was forcing himself out of his comfort zone, going for strolls for no other reason than having to walk amongst others, even though he'd had no reason to leave home. And it had been harder than he'd expected, the first time he'd returned home he'd locked himself behind his door, not coming out till it was time for his run the next morning. Strangely, that didn't bother him that much, but only because he'd always ran with monsters, and he knew how to do that.

When he caught himself watching his own mother when she was working in the kitchen after lunch, and wondering if she was really just a human, Tsukune knew it was time for another walk. 'That's MOM,' he told himself. 'She's human, so's dad, I'd know if they weren't… right…?' He had to go clear his head; if he started seeing his own family as a risk, then his sanity was in a death spiral. Excusing himself, mumbling something about running a few errands, Tsukune slipped out of his home and headed out into the afternoon crowds.

'Relax… Stay calm, breathe easy, you'll be fine.'

Tsukune had found that it was easier to maintain his composure if he didn't think too much about the possibilities while he was out. Running was easier still, but he couldn't run all the time, so he had to get used to walking around normally. He deliberately slowed his pace when he realized that he was going faster than the others on the sidewalk. 'This isn't a race, and there's no hurry,' Tsukune reminded himself for the hundredth time.

Gradually Tsukune did start to feel a little calmer; he'd never seen any signs of monsters since he'd arrived home, in spite of his secret fears. His vigilance and alertness from school may have been unnecessary back in the human world. True, he couldn't just relax, there were still even mundane risks like crossing the street, but acting as jumpy as a rabbit in tall grass served to be pointless.

Allowing himself to relax and enjoy the clear day – (the sun never seemed to put in appearance at school) - the young man settled down to an easygoing walk, idly looking in store windows, and simply people watching. He surprised himself by walking into a busy convenience store and buying a bento, calmly eating it on a bench out front. Tsukune made a point of not covertly watching everyone that walked by, instead concentrating on the simple but familiar flavors that were unavailable at school.

Discarding the empty container, Tsukune continued to walk aimlessly, letting the ebb and flow of the pedestrians carry him along like a piece of driftwood. While the part of his mind that focused on keeping him alive was having an apoplectic fit about the casual ease he was displaying, the rest of Tsukune felt like a great weight had been removed from his shoulders. He almost felt normal again, something he hadn't experienced in what felt like forever. For the first time in a long time, he felt as if he might be able to put everything behind him.

"Hey Aono!"

Tsukune almost froze mid step; he hadn't heard that voice in a few months, but he'd remember it until the day he died. After a fraction of a second of hesitation he resumed walking, deciding to pretend he hadn't heard it. He didn't have time for this now. He'd never had time or patience for it but there was no bloody way he was going to deal with this now.

"Where you goin' Aono?"

Tsukune continued to act like he hadn't heard anything, but he could feel his jaw muscles tightening up. It was kind of funny when he thought about it. Even after all that he'd had to deal with such a relatively small thing could get under his skin.

"You must think you're a big man, now that you're in high school," the unwelcome voice taunted from behind him.

The young man forced himself not to scowl. Kenichi might have been the most recent bully that Tsukune had been forced to endure, but he certainly wasn't the first. The arrogant, smug face of Hikaru Takada stepped from behind Tsukune and inserted himself in his path, forcing him to stop. He was just as he remembered him, all smiling cockiness, the pride of someone who relished making life hard for others for the simple reason that he could.

Hikaru seemed to have all the advantages in life; tall, with striking good looks, and a charm women seemed to swoon over. He'd never been a good student, but he was a gifted athlete, a baseball prodigy with a cannon for an arm, a wicked glove, and a skill for stealing bases. Even in middle school he'd drawn the eyes of talent scouts, and he was expected to go to Summer Koshien, and maybe even a career in the Major Leagues.

In spite of all that good fortune, or perhaps because of it, he still revelled in making the lives of other students miserable. With his abilities, school officials were all too quick to look the other way at his activities, doing their best to sweep his seedier actions under the rug, regardless of what had happened. He'd left a trail of traumatized boys and girls behind him; the girls had it especially bad, and Tsukune had heard rumors about a couple of his past consorts being forced to have abortions.

And Tsukune had been one of his favorite targets.

As usual, Hikaru wasn't alone. He had a pair of hangers on Tsukune didn't recognize but if habits held, they were a couple wannabes who were riding on his coat tails to increase their own popularity and self-esteem. And of course there was the girl; as expected she was pretty, with a short skirt and black stockings. Had Tsukune been in a better mood, and not currently involved, he might have considered talking to her, but the current circumstances quashed any notion of that.

"So, did you manage to get yourself into a high school?" Hikaru needled his former classmate.

"Yeah, I did," Tsukune replied calmly. If he stayed cool maybe his former nemesis would lose interest and let him be.

"Oh really? Which one?"

Tsukune let out a slow breath to help keep himself centered. "Just a small school out of town. You've probably never heard of it."

"They took a freak like you?" the bully wondered, causing his companions to snicker.

Trying to keep his right hand from reaching for his knife, Tsukune gave his tormentor a razor thin smile. "I'm surprised how well I fit in…" When Hikaru's only reaction was a blank stare, he started walking again, taking a detour down an alley so he could walk faster without having to weave his way through pedestrians. He didn't expect for the alley to have no way out.

"You think you can be a smart ass cuz we ain't in the same class anymore?"

Or for Hikaru to come after him…

"Hey, just leave me alone, okay?" Having spent most of his time at home worried about encountering monsters disguised as humans had taken its toll on Tsukune, and he was in no mood to relive his past at the hands of some arrogant prick.

"Big talk from someone I used to make cry for his mommy," Hikaru sneered. "Maybe if you give me your money, and your pants, I'll let you go."

Tsukune shook his head. "No way, what the hell are you think-"

It was the first time he'd been blindsided since Saizo. Hikaru lunged quickly and sucker-punched Tsukune, catching him right in the eye and making him stagger.

"You forgot your place," Hikaru taunted, obviously enjoying Tsukune's surprise, and putting on a show for his companions.

"Hit 'em again!" one of the hanger ons cheered.

"Way ahead of you," Hikaru chuckled, throwing another right at Tsukune.

Tsukune saw the next strike coming; the first one had surprised him, but the impact hadn't been all that painful. Keito occasionally caused him more discomfort during their lovemaking. Instead of trying to block the punch, Tsukune twisted his head so that it merely grazed his cheek, then grabbed the bully's arm while he was off balance and yanked hard to make him lose his footing, slamming him awkwardly to the ground.

Before Hikaru had time to realize what had happened or react, Tsukune stepped forward. Twisting the arm in his grasp he used his leverage to savagely force it behind his assailant's back, like he was trying to break a sturdy branch off a tree. There was a sickening crunch, followed shortly by an agonized shriek as Hikaru's destroyed shoulder sent a flood of pain signals to his brain. Holding onto the now limp arm Tsukune braced the elbow against his thigh and bent it backwards, the sound of bones snapping audible even over the screams.

Dropping the now ruined arm Tsukune took a step back, quickly looking over to Hikaru's companions, wondering if any of them would try anything. He needn't have worried; the bigger guy had gone pale, while his buddy looked like he was going to be sick. And the girl… Tsukune saw a dark stain spreading down her stockings, and he realized she'd wet herself. Turning his gaze back to Hikaru, Tsukune noticed that he'd rolled onto his left side, cradling his broken shoulder, trying to keep it from moving and hurting even more. The jagged ends of broken bone were punched through the skin in a few places, and his firsthand knowledge of broken bones made him realize how bad that had to hurt.

"H-how… how could… y-you do that…?" Hikaru rasped weakly, his face as pale as milk

Slowly moving around the anguished Hikaru, Tsukune stood over him, looking down with eyes so dead looking they could have been a dolls. "I'm afraid I may know my place…" he murmured just loud enough for the stricken boy to hear.

Lifting his right leg Tsukune drove his heel down onto the prone boy's right leg, in the middle of the femur. Ignoring the screams he violently hammered at the largest bone until he felt and heard it snap after a half dozen hits. This last agony proved to be too much for Hikaru, and he let out a throat tearing scream before he fell into unconsciousness.

Surveying his work, Tsukune figured that Hikaru wouldn't die, though he'd probably never play baseball again. Almost as an afterthought he remembered the knife he had on him. There was no point in using it now, but it bothered him that he'd never even considered drawing it. Part of him wondered if it wouldn't be easier to simply kill the unconscious man at his feet, but he managed to suppress that impulse.

He realized it wasn't because of some noble sentiment; it would just make things even more difficult.

Tsukune could feel a throbbing discomfort from where he'd been tagged, but other than that his face was locked into the same expression he wore at Youkai Academy. 'I used to be afraid of him…?' he thought idly to himself. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Pushing all thoughts of his former tormentor out of his head, Tsukune turned away and started walking, leaving the broken man behind him. He saw the two hangers on gaping at him; Tsukune wondered if they'd attack him, or maybe go to the police. Part of him considered making sure they didn't.

Tsukune gave the pair a look, checking their eyes for signs of possible violence. It turned out to be pointless, as the sudden, brutal destruction of their leader made the two guys turn and bolt, not even bothering to look after their friend. Tsukune watched them go, knowing they were no longer a threat. The woman seemed to be frozen, trembling in barely repressed fear, her eyes wide as he walked by her, noting that the hushed whimpering she made sounded like a scared rabbit. Tsukune wanted nothing more than to just get home, forget that any of this had happened, and hope that the police wouldn't get involved.

Though he didn't think that Hikaru would admit that he'd been thrashed by someone he'd used to bully. He certainly had his pride.

"H-hey…"

The faint call made Tsukune stop and look over his shoulder. The girl appeared to be trying to compose herself, but there was still fear in her eyes. "Yes…?"

"W-what now…?"

"What do you mean 'what now'?" Tsukune replied. She was a perfect caricature of terror so he didn't think she'd try something, but firsthand experience had taught him about desperate measures.

"What am I supposed to do?" she murmured. "Hikaru said he'd take me with him when he went to the big leagues."

Tsukune shook his head. "Sorry about that," he apologized, idly noting that the girl hadn't actually gone to check on her supposed boyfriend. "I didn't want to do that…" A feeling of dark satisfaction made him wonder how true that was.

"What do I do now…?" The way she was trembling, with a spreading urine stain on her clothes, made her look as pathetic as she had previously looked self-assured. "You ruined his life."

Tsukune bristled. "If you think he's so bad off, I could kill him, put him out of his misery," he hissed.

The woman flinched. "No no no!" she babbled. "But-but… he was going to take me with him..."

Tsukune felt a rush of pity tinged with disgust was over him. "Sorry, but he started this."

She then gave him a look that made him feel like he was a ring being examined by a jeweller. With a shaking hand she brushed hair off her forehead and managed to put a smile on her face. "What if I go with you, instead…?"

Knowing that his stoic mask had slipped Tsukune just stared blankly at the woman in disbelief for a few moments. Then his composure returned and he snorted. "You're kidding…"

"I'm not," she insisted. "I mean, you're kinda cute-"

"Forget it," Tsukune cut her off. "I'm not on the market."

"You think he was single when we hooked up?" the girl scoffed.

"I'm happy with who I'm with now."

"I bet I could make you happier," the woman cooed, taking a few seductive steps towards Tsukune, acting as if she hadn't lost control of her bladder earlier.

"My girlfriend would kill you if you tried."

"His last girlfriend wasn't too happy either, but she got over it."

"I'm not exaggerating," Tsukune replied coldly. "She'll kill you. You wouldn't even be the first."

The deadly serious look in his eyes got through to the girl and she slumped to her knees. "Then what do I do…?"

Tsukune couldn't keep himself from taking pity on her, even though she'd been happy to watch her boyfriend try to brutalize him earlier. "Go find someone else."

"Where…?"

"How the hell would I know?" Tsukune replied, turning back around and leaving his former tormentor and his erstwhile girlfriend behind him, checking his face with his fingers, feeling a little relieved that Hikaru hadn't drawn blood. Walking back to his home he only noticed a few passersby giving him a brief odd look, so he didn't think he was hurt bad; it certainly didn't feel like very much. Quick glances at windows showed that he'd probably just end up with a black eye.

A sense of relief came over him when his home came into sight, and Tsukune wanted nothing more than to just take the rest of the day recuperating in his room. "I'm home," he called out, slipping out of his shoes and breathing a sigh of relief when he engaged the dead-bolt.

"Welcome back Tsukune," his mother called out. "I'm in the living room, we have a guest."

Tsukune meandered into the room, figuring he'd just say a quick hello and then ice his eye in the privacy of his room. But when he walked in he felt his heart seize up.

Sitting across from his mother, calmly sipping tea, was Keito in her school uniform.

His mother apparently didn't notice that all the blood had drained from her son's face. "She dropped in while you were out, so I invited her in. It's nice to meet the girl you've been seeing, she's such a charming young woman."

"What are you doing here?" Tsukune yelped in surprise.

Kasumi Aono frowned at her son. "She came all this way to see you, and that's how you react? I thought I raised you better…"

"I-I thought you'd be busy all break…" Tsukune croaked.

"So did I," Keito replied calmly. "But we finished early, so I decided I'd visit you…" She frowned and gave Tsukune a curious look. "What happened to your face?"

"Your eye!" his mother cried out as she noticed the blooming shiner her son wore. "What happened?"

Tsukune fidgeted. "I slipped. In an alley."

"Slipped?" Keito asked with an eyebrow quirked.

"I was dealing with some trash," he added under his breath. "It's nothing mom, I'm fine," he assured her as he tried to fend off her worrying. He took a seat at the table across from his girlfriend, watching her guardedly. "You just came to see me…?"

"That, and just do a little looking around," Keito replied with a hint of smugness. "I suppose I wanted to know a little more about where you lived, grew up, your family…"

Tsukune felt his breath catch in his throat. "Really… What did you find out?"

Keito shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing unusual. You grew up in a normal neighborhood, regular schools, and your father's just a run of the mill salaryman."

"My father?"

"Yes, I looked him up at his job and dropped in," Keito informed him. "Turns out he's just a regular person, and your mom's the same. I never would have thought someone with your talents could come from such humble circumstances."

Mrs. Aono beamed. "We're proud of Tsukune, and everything he's done."

Tsukune closed his eyes and put his head down, the room starting to spin. "This can't be happening," he murmured.

"What was that?"

Blushing, embarrassed that he'd actually said that out loud, Tsukune tried to cover up. "Sorry, my eye is starting to hurt a little," he lied.

"Then why don't you and Keito go ice it in your room," his mom offered, standing up and disappearing into the kitchen, returning moments later with an ice pack. "You can get caught up."

"That's a great idea." Keito stood up, practically beaming. "C'mon, let's get that black eye dealt with." Taking an offered bag of ice in one hand and dragging a flustered Tsukune with the other, the spiderwoman marched into her boyfriend's room and closed the door. "Aren't you going to say hello?"

"Why did you come here?"

Keito sighed wistfully. "And after all the trouble I took to visit you." She walked over to Tsukune's bed and sat down on it. "Come here before that eye gets even more swollen."

"You threaten my family-"

"Threaten? I did nothing of the sort," Keito responded archly. "I just dropped in to say hello, your mother asked me in for tea. It would have been rude to refuse."

"And my father?" Tsukune demanded.

"I only popped in to see him. Never thought a salaryman could father such a violent human."

Tsukune tried to get himself worked up, knowing that he should be angry, but finding his girlfriend's actions surprisingly understandable. "Listen, I don't care what happens to me-" He was cut off when an annoyed looking Keito launched a web, snagging the surprised human, and effortlessly yanking him through the air. Tsukune let out a startled yelp when he ended up with his head in Keito's lap, looking up into her violet eyes.

"Hold still so I can ice that eye," Keito told him. "Or do I need to web you down?"

Tsukune meekly acquiesced, certain she wasn't bluffing. He hissed a little when the ice pack pressed against his black eye, although Keito applied it with surprising gentleness. He didn't expect that lying with his head in her lap would be so calming, but submitting himself to her rather tender ministrations did calm him down.

"Clever human," Keito told him with a satisfied look, continuing to hold the ice pack as they shared a quiet moment together. After a few minutes she spoke again. "Now, how did you really get hurt…?"

Tsukune let out a disgusted breath. "I ran into an old acquaintance," he related. "Guess you could call him a bully."

"And you chased him down to exact revenge?"

"No, I tried to avoid him, ended up in a blind alley. Tried to talk my way out, got sucker punched."

Keito looked at him like he'd gone insane. "You've killed a vampire, but got hurt by a human?"

"My fault," Tsukune growled. "No monster would have tried something that stupid. Though he didn't hit very hard."

"So what happened?"

"He tried to hit me again… It didn't end well."

Keito gave an almost approving look. "Did he survive?"

"I can't just kill people," Tsukune murmured.

"That's rich, coming from you."

Tsukune couldn't argue that, even though he really wanted to. "So you just came to see me, and check on my family?"

Keito played along with the blatant topic change. "That's all I planned, but something else came up."

"Something else?"

"After I left your father's office, a pair of… gentlemen decided I should join them at a hotel. Even after I politely declined and told them I had a boyfriend. They were rather forceful, and even made threats."

Tsukune was about to ask what happened when he finally noticed the faint odor that had been barely registering with him. It was a sharp metallic scent, almost copper-like.

Keito must have noticed the dawning comprehension on his face. "I did tell them no, gave them a chance to walk away."

The human knew he was in no position to rebuke the spiderwoman, considering the violence he'd unleashed earlier. Tsukune tried to console himself with the notion that the two would be rapists had gotten a karmic fate. He found it inexplicably easy to disregard his own concerns when Keito began running her fingers through his hair, finding the contact to be quite relaxing. Letting himself drift away was rather pleasant, and he was able to truly relax and let his guard down for the first time since he'd come home.

After about fifteen minutes Keito removed the ice pack and gave her boyfriend a careful look. "Doesn't look too bad…"

"Is it gone?" Tsukune wondered.

"No, but it should clear up in a day or two. It'll be gone before you come back."

Tsukune let out a breath. "That's something. Let me get up-"

Keito interrupted him by gently, but quite firmly, holding him in place. "No rush. Besides, you're cute at this angle…"

"…cute…?"

"Naturally," the spiderwoman replied with a smirk, caressing his face as she lowered her head towards his. "I don't like you just because you're violent."

Any retort, or kiss, was interrupted by a knocking at the door. "Excuse me," Tsukune's mother called out. "Would either of you like more tea?"

Tsukune lurched up so fast he nearly heat-butted Keito. Moving to the door with a speed that left his girlfriend astonished, he opened it and accepted the tray with a murmured thanks, letting out a relieved breath when the door closed again.

"I didn't think a human could move that fast…"

"Neither did I," Tsukune admitted.

The two of them had their tea in silence, the mood having been broken by his mother's appearance. Tsukune found himself wondering if she'd done that deliberately. They both emptied their mugs in about five minutes and Keito stood up, idly straightening up her skirt. "It was nice to see you again, but I should be getting back."

"So soon?"

Keito shrugged. "An Enforcer's work never ends." She set her mug on Tsukune's desk and slowly walked towards him, placing her arms on his shoulders and clasping her hands behind his head. "Since I don't think this would be appropriate in front of your mother…" Keito kissed him deeply, forcing her tongue between Tsukune's lips. He responded in kind, holding her against him as his tongue explored her mouth.

Eventually they broke off the kiss, Keito allowed her boyfriend a moment to compose himself, and then opened the door and they both walked into the kitchen. "It was nice meeting you," she told his mother, "but I need to go now."

"Won't you stay for dinner?" Tsukune's mom asked. "We'd love for you to join us."

"Thanks, but I really must be going. Besides, I spend so much time with your son at school, it wouldn't be fair for me to do that here," Keito added.

Nodding in acceptance Kasumi replied, "Come back anytime, I'd love to see you again."

"I may take you up on that," Keito told her, a sly smile in place. She allowed Tsukune and his mother to walk her to the door, giving her a quick hug and Tsukune a gentle kiss on the lips that left him blushing. Letting him see a brief mischievous expression, Keito gave Tsukune's mother an earnest look. "I don't know if Tsukune and I could ever give you a grandchild…"

Tsukune felt himself go pale.

"But I promise, we'll keep trying. See you in a couple of days Tsukune." Keito gave him a jaunty wave and sauntered out the door, confidently moving down the sidewalk until she disappeared into the pedestrians.

Tsukune had never felt more uncomfortable in his life, and he was afraid to turn around and look at his mother not wanting to see the expression on her face.

"Tsukune…"

"Y-yes…?" he croaked out, continuing to look away. If he didn't turn around, maybe she wasn't really there.

"…I like her."

Wanting to collapse on himself in relief, but forcing himself to keep his composure, Tsukune replied, "So do I."

"She's such a nice girl, and so charming," his mother gushed. "You're lucky, she seems like a perfect match for you."

Because he didn't turn around, his mother never saw the melancholic expression he was wearing. "Yeah, she is…"

XXX

Tsukune boarded the bus to Youkai Academy, feeling a little disappointed that Ichiro wasn't on it, and took a seat near the back, stowing his bags overhead. He kept his gaze out the window, watching as the city he'd grown up in passed by, trying not to dwell on why he felt like he was a stranger in it now. After picking up another two students he didn't recognize, leaving him wondering just how many lived near his home, the bus entered a tunnel and came out to an overcast sky that was all too familiar to the human.

An odd feeling of comfort and security came over him, and Tsukune that at least he was back in familiar territory, and that he didn't have to worry about telling humans from monsters anymore. When the bus pulled up to the stop he calmly took his bags and disembarked, nodding idle greetings when some of the others apparently recognized him and gave nervous hellos. Striding towards his dorm with the same casual ease he'd developed with time and practice, Tsukune had a warm feeling come over him like a blanket as he walked up the steps. He realized he'd been a little homesick while he'd been away on break, but it passed the moment he stepped inside his room, nodding in appreciation that the lights were still burning.

Closing his door and locking it, once again pushing his desk against it as a barricade, he set his bags on his bed and began to unpack. He'd just finished and was wondering if the cafeteria was open yet when there came a knock at his door. Tsukune felt his lips tighten; he never had visitors aside from Keito, and she'd be more likely to simply walk in. Idly reaching back and brushing his fingertips against the knife, the only human at Youkai Academy carefully slid his desk out of the way and opened the door. "Keito?" he asked in mild surprise.

"Tsukune Aono." The spiderwoman's official sounding tone made the hairs on the back of Tsukune's neck stand up. "You're going to have to come with us. The Headmaster wishes to speak with you."

Belatedly noticing the two other rather intimidating Enforcers in full uniform, just as Keito was, made a ball of chilled lead appear in Tsukune's stomach. "Right now?"

"Right now." Her tone brooked no argument.

Mentally steeling himself and setting his face with a look of detachment, Tsukune silently stepped out of his sanctum. He took no comfort from the fact the two male Enforcers were watching him warily. Wanting to ask what this was about, but simply falling into step with the black clad figures, the human allowed himself to be lead to the main administration building. He noticed that Keito locked eyes with him for a brief moment, but then she reverted back to a cool professional air.

Wondering if this was what a death march felt like, Tsukune struggled to maintain his fearless appearance, his heart rate rising as he was lead deeper and deeper into the building, passing a number of intimidating looking identical men who all looked like they'd all been Xeroxed. The walk finally stopped in front a set of two of the largest doors he'd ever seen, that wouldn't have looked out of place in a haunted house. They opened seemingly on their own. And with a subtle gesture of her head Keito indicated that he was to enter. Tsukune looked for any hint of what this was about on her face, but her expression was unreadable.

A stray thought decided that she would be formidable at poker.

Tsukune marched into the Headmaster's office as bravely as he could, feeling moderate pride when he didn't flinch when the door slammed shut behind him. Thoroughly rattled, but maintaining his composure, the human walked to the front of the large heavy desk and stood ramrod straight. "You wanted to see me?"

The hooded figure sitting behind the desk lifted his gaze, the glowing eyes seeming to look into the depths of the human's soul. "Tsukune Aono," his deep voice rumbled, seeming to reverberate in the office. "You have been a great disappointment."

Tsukune blinked. "A disappointment…?" He had no idea what was going on, and the cryptic utterings weren't helping.

"I brought you here to be a bridge between monsters and humanity," the Headmaster explained coldly. "So that monsters and humans could learn to live together peacefully. You've obviously been a failure."

"Wait… A bridge between humans and monsters…? Does that mean you knew I was human…?"

"Of course, why do you think I arranged for you to attend here?"

"You stupid bastard!" Tsukune snarled. "Bringing me here without warning?! What did you think would happen?"

The Headmaster steepled his fingers and gave the human an indifferent look. "That monsters would learn that humans don't need to be killed."

"Because they'll choke to death on our corpses? You haven't done a fucking thing to promote peaceful coexistence."

"You haven't done much to encourage peace-"

"So I should have let myself be killed? Are you fucking insane?"

"I never expected you to be so violent," the Headmaster rebuked him.

"I didn't feel like dying!" Tsukune snapped back. "And it never occurred to you to warn me first?"

The Headmaster shrugged. "I just thought-"

Tsukune slammed his fists onto the heavy desk, the boom echoing in the room. "NO! You didn't! Or you wouldn't have been so goddamn stupid!"

The hooded figure bristled. He knew he was one of the most powerful entities at the school, if not the entire planet. Throughout his long life he'd encountered many other creatures, many of them quite hostile. But the human glaring at him from across his desk was by far the most enraged being he'd ever seen. Tsukune's fists were clenched tightly into fists, his teeth locked together so hard he could have probably bitten through steel cable. For a second it almost looked as if he was ready to leap over the desk and attack him bare handed, or maybe with one of the weapons he supposedly carried at all times.

The Headmaster watched dispassionately while the livid student seemed to reluctantly rediscover self-control. Tsukune might only be human, but he had a sizeable body count, including one vampire; he'd proven he wasn't someone to underestimate.

Or let your guard down for.

"Well, you won't have to worry about that anymore," he explained in a conciliatory tone.

"What does that mean?"

The Headmaster took a file folder from the top drawer and wordlessly slid it across the polished wood to the smouldering human, gesturing for him to take it. Tsukune picked up the slim folder and flipped through the pages, not quite understanding what they were. "What's this?"

"Your transfer papers."

"Transfer papers?"

"Yes, you filled in the application some time ago, but thanks to some… pressure from Keito, we were able finalize this much faster than normal," the Headmaster explained. "Those documents will allow you to transfer to any school in the human world. We even filled in some applications for schools close to your home, for your convenience."

Tsukune scanned the papers a few more times, finding they were exactly as promised. These simple looking documents were his key to leaving Youkai Academy forever, to return to the human world and never look back. It was what he'd hoped and dreamed of for so long. He used the desktop to line them up on their edges.

Then simply ripped them in half, discarding the papers to the floor contemptuously.

"What are you doing?!"

Tsukune found he took grim satisfaction from the obvious surprise on the Headmaster's face. "Forget it, you're not getting rid of me that easy."

"That was your chance to go to a human school-"

"I don't belong there!" Tsukune bellowed, causing the cloaked figure to stop speaking. "I'm not human anymore."

The Headmaster looked at him humorlessly. "What nonsense are you spouting? You're human, that's why I brought you here."

"No! No I'm not! Not anymore!" Tsukune snarled. "I came this close to killing someone when I went back. Just because I could, and if I could do it again I would. I go to a human school now, I'll end up dead or in jail. At least I don't have to worry about being arrested here."

"Be careful human… even my patience has limits."

"I've had to be careful every second since I arrived," Tsukune growled.

The hooded man's eyes narrowed a little. "That's why you don't belong here."

"Yeah, but you brought me here, so you take responsibility for this, you bastard. Once I graduate, you can figure out what to do with me then." Tsukune then turned around and strode for the exit.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Back to my room, then I'll grab dinner," he replied without even looking back.

"But what about improving human/monster relations?"

Now Tsukune did stop, even though he kept his back to the Headmaster. "Wasn't a total failure," he responded venomously. "Everyone thinks I fight like one, and they're all scared to death of me. I'd say that's better than them trying to eat me."

"What do you expect to do here for the next few years?"

Tsukune looked over his shoulder, his narrowed eyes meeting the Headmaster's glowing ones. "Survive," he hissed through clenched teeth, before he marched out, ignoring the exasperated sigh he heard behind his back.

XXX

Keito stood outside the Headmaster's office, her posture somewhat official looking. She'd only been told to escort Tsukune there, no one had said anything about hanging around afterwards, but she didn't even think of leaving. The two who'd walked with her had left as soon as the doors had closed, their relief at not having to deal with the feared freshman quite palpable. Technically, students weren't supposed to linger in this part of the administrative building, but since she was in her Enforcers uniform, no one was willing to ask her to move along either.

The spiderwoman raised an eyebrow; the Headmaster's office was supposedly soundproof, and the doors had been two inches thick solid wood, but she was certain she heard yelling from inside.

And she was pretty sure it hadn't been just the Headmaster.

Then there was the sound of doorknobs turning and the doors were thrown open violently, with her boyfriend stalking out of the room. The look on Tsukune's face made her hesitate briefly. Keito had seen him upset, and at his most violent during the fight with Saizo, but she had never imagined his face could be twisted into such a mask of fury. He was practically radiating an aura that screamed out in warning to all sentient life to back off.

More than a little surprised, as well as intrigued, Keito followed him as he stomped heavily through the hall, his fists clenched at his sides, harsh breaths passing through flared nostrils. The few staff and students in the vicinity took the opportunity to make themselves scarce, leaving the sounds of two sets of footsteps echoing in the now deserted corridors.

At the end of the hall Tsukune stopped by a window, resting his forehead against the dry frame as he struggled to reassert his control. It proved to be a vain effort when the human let out a cry of frustration and rage, putting his right fist through one of the panes of glass, then letting out a pained snarl when the injury he'd inflicted made itself known.

"Are you okay?" Keito asked, eyeing the human guardedly.

Hissing in suppressed pain, Tsukune took a look at his bleeding hand. "I've been hurt worse…" He took off his tie and wrapped around his hand like a bandage, trying to staunch the bleeding.

Keito clicked her tongue. "We better get back to your room so you can take care of that."

Tsukune turned around to wave her off, but the look on her face told him it hadn't been a suggestion. Acquiescing in silence, the human started back towards his dormitory, idly noting that Keito fell into step beside him. Throughout the solitary walk she made no effort to engage him in conversation, and he silently thanked her for that. Upon reaching his building the two made their way up the stairs, other students making sure they stayed out of their way.

Safely ensconced in his room, Keito went to the bathroom to fetch the rubbing alcohol and a cloth while Tsukune blocked the door with his desk and slipped gingerly out of his jacket, the small shards of glass in his hand making him flinch. "Sit on the bed and let me take a look at it," Keito directed.

"Thanks, but I got this-"

"Will I have to ask again?"

Keito's expression brooked no argument, and Tsukune knew that she'd use force if he tried resisting her will, so he sat down wordlessly, presenting his hand for the spiderwoman to look at. He watched with an appraising eye as she carefully unwrapped his tie, dropping the blood soaked fabric to the floor, before carefully using her fingertips to pull out the larger shards of glass embedded in his hand. Holding his jaw tight Tsukune worked to conceal his discomfort, more out of habit than anything else. "Wait, what are you doing?"

The spiderwoman had extended her arachnid legs. "Trying to get these small slivers." With a dexterity that astonished Tsukune, Keito's spider legs were able to take hold of the tiniest pieces of glass, just like a pair of tweezers. Once she was satisfied that she'd removed all the glass from his hand, Keito wet the cloth with rubbing alcohol and pressed it against the cuts, causing Tsukune to choke down a growl, clenching his jaw and other hand tightly.

"That's pretty good work," he rasped, trying to push past the pain. "Where'd you learn that?"

"A human first aid book in the library," she explained. "Did you know that they had to order another one? When I went looking for it, they realized it had been stolen."

"Yeah… Sorry about that…"

"It's okay. I noticed it the first night I spent here," Keito told him wryly. She then lifted his hand to her face, making Tsukune wonder if she was going to kiss it better when she began using her silk to cover the cuts.

"Hey! Is that safe…?"

Keito gave him a blank look. "Don't tell me you're worrying about contact with my fluids, considering everywhere you've put your mouth-"

"Never mind, go ahead." The bandage she'd placed on his leg had worked after all. It most likely had saved his life.

"Clever human," she replied, continuing to cover all the gashes on his hand.

When she was done Tsukune took a close look while he opened and closed his fist. "Nice work. Ever think about being a nurse?"

Keito shook her head. "I prefer hurting people. So what got you so mad?"

Tsukune let out a sigh. "The Headmaster. I didn't think anyone could that much of a bastard."

"What did he do?"

"Dropped me into the meat grinder," Tsukune snarled. "Knew I was human and brought me here, just to see how I'd do, no warning, no nothing."

Keito considered that. "I'd say you've done pretty well."

The human shook his head ruefully. "Apparently trying to survive wasn't the right approach. Then he told me I could transfer."

"Transfer…? Ah, yes. That," Keito remarked. "So, when are you leaving…?"

"I'm not."

"You're not?"

"I can't. I don't fit in anymore, I'm too violent."

"That's a problem?"

"You're kidding, right?" Tsukune asked in disbelief. "When I have a problem with someone, my first thought isn't how to reason it out, it's about where to find the sharpest object and how much force it would take to get it through a ribcage! I go back, I'll kill someone, no questions."

Keito gave her usual sardonic look. "I'd say you just need to control your temper, but honestly, seeing you get all worked up gets me kinda hot."

Tsukune stared at the smirking spiderwoman for a few silent moments before he found himself chuckling at the absurdity that now ruled his life. "Anyone ever tell you you're a strange girl?"

"I think only you think that."

"Well, I hope you don't get tired of me, cuz I don't think I'm going anywhere for a while," Tsukune murmured.

Keito moved behind him and embraced him, using her arachnid legs as well as her arms, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm okay with that." She placed a kiss on his cheek and nuzzled his head.

"Me too." Tsukune felt himself relaxing for the first time. He found that he wasn't the slightest bit put off being in the embrace of a spiderwoman. More to the point, the idea that this would have once frightened him seemed completely alien now.

That thought made him realize that he was in the right place.

End of Chapter Eleven.

Author's Notes:

Sorry for this taking so long. Real life has an ugly way of interfering.

Pre-read professionally done by random1377 and Mereo Flere. All mistakes are mine alone.

Thanks for all the reviews and TvTropes love thus far.


	12. The Human Factor

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Rosario + Vampire:

He Who Fights Monsters…

Chapter Twelve: The Human Factor

Written by: Hawker_748

The small living quarters were mostly dim, the only light coming from the kitchen, along with a faint but rapid chopping sound. The staccato rhythm of steel meeting cutting board was gently countered by a soft, melodic humming. The solitary figure rapidly chopped spring onions into small fragments before lifting the board and using the blade to carefully ease the vegetables into the pot that was boiling on the stove.

Keito brought a spoon up to her lips, careful not to spill any on her apron, and took a sip. The miso soup was as good as she could make it, but it wasn't quite an exact match for what Tsukune's mother could cook. Tsukune would say it was good enough, and quite tasty, but to her, this was just another reminder that she had to keep working on her technique. Those who had known her only as an Enforcer would have been aghast at the idea of her being all domestic, but those who had would also know enough to keep their opinions about such things to themselves.

When Tsukune had told the Headmaster that he and Keito should live together, the spiderwoman had been a little surprised that he'd make such a brazen demand to the being that ran the school. She'd been even more surprised when the human had gotten his way. Tsukune'd been lucky that the Headmaster had agreed, albeit reluctantly, allowing it when the human had told him that it was just part of taking responsibility. Their new residence, actually a vacant upperclassman room that had been specifically renovated, gave the couple a kitchen, small living room, bedroom, and a den for schoolwork.

While she was happy to be able to live with the human now, Keito always wondered if being with her had been his entire motivation. After they had moved in together, Tsukune's nightmares, which had been plaguing him since his arrival, finally stopped. Once he was able to regularly experience a full night of sleep, he lost a little bit of his haggard look, but he never did let himself relax completely when he wasn't at home. Keito hoped that with a little time, Tsukune would eventually agree to turning off the lights in the bedroom before bed. While she'd gotten used to it, it was still a little annoying to have to sleep with the lights on.

But compared to everything that had happened so far, it was just a minor inconvenience. Tsukune risked his life every day he was at Youkai Academy, so she figured it was only fair that she learn to cope with some of his habits. But in a rather ironic twist, one of the biggest changes hadn't even been here, but on a subsequent visit to his family during another break.

XXX

"Are you sure about this…?"

Tsukune let out a breath as they walked down the path towards his parent's house. "No, but I don't see any other way to do this," he admitted.

"You don't have to do this," Keito pointed out. "Things have worked out so far."

"Only because I've been lucky," Tsukune replied. "I can't rely on that. And to be honest, I'm tired of lying."

Keito was normally a supporter of being truthful, but she knew her boyfriend was an unusual case, both at school, and at home. He'd been considering this for some time, but it'd been obvious he wasn't happy about it. In the end, she'd decided to simply go along with what he decided, and live with the consequences. Keito would have given him an encouraging remark, but they'd just arrived, and Tsukune was opening the door.

"I'm home."

"Tsukune! Welcome back," his mother cried out as she gave her son a hug. She looked surprised to see that he wasn't alone. "You should have told me you had invited her, I would have made plans. Hello Keito, it's nice to see you again."

"Likewise."

The three of them made their way to the living room, Tsukune and Keito taking a seat while his mother went back into the kitchen to prepare tea. The couple didn't speak, Tsukune lost in thought as he tried to think of the best way to tell his mother what he wanted to say. He looked up when she walked back in carrying a tray. "Where's dad?"

Kasumi Aono looked sheepish. "He got called away at the last minute, something in Hokkaido. He'll be gone for at least a month. He told me to apologize for not being here."

Tsukune let out a short breath. It seemed that whenever he had something important he needed to say, his father was never there.

"So, how are you two doing?" Tsukune's mother asked, handing a mug to her guests.

For the next half hour or so, the three of them made small talk; or rather, Keito and Tsukune's mother did most of the talking, Tsukune only occasionally adding a word here or there, mostly just being awkwardly silent. When he finished his tea he set down his mug and took a deep breath, meeting his mother's eyes. "Mom, there's something I need to tell you."

Noticing the serious look in her son's eyes, she set her own mug down. "Keito's pregnant…?"

Tsukune nearly fell over in surprise. "No! She's not!" he replied with more force than he'd intended to, feeling uncomfortable when he saw the look Keito was giving him.

"Then, you're engaged…? That's wonderful!" Kasumi Aono gushed. "Oh, why couldn't your father have been here to hear this?"

Tsukune pinched the bridge of his nose to try to regain his focus. "That's not it either," he explained, not noticing his mother's crestfallen look. "It's about the school."

"What about the school?"

"It's… Not a normal school," he explained.

"Not normal? You mean it's for gifted students?" his mother wondered.

"Not exactly…"

"Then it's a special school?"

"You could say that," he acknowledged. "It's a school for monsters."

"You mean delinquents?"

"No, monsters. Real, things that go bump in the night, monsters."

Tsukune's mom gave him a confused look. "There's no such thing as monsters."

"There are," Tsukune insisted. "This school is designed to help monsters fit into the human world."

Standing up Tsukune's mom laid her hand on her son's forehead. "Did you hit your head? Maybe eat something bad?"

"No mom, I didn't," Tsukune replied. He'd expected this, but he'd held out faint hope that he wouldn't have to resort to this. Turning to look at Keito he nodded. "Show her."

"You sure about this?"

"Yes."

Keito nodded grimly and stood up, walking to the center of the room. "Perhaps you'd better sit down."

"Sit down?"

"Mom, just trust her. Sit down."

Waiting until after Kasumi Aono sat back down, Keito opened the blazer of her school uniform, then undid the blouse. She saw Tsukune's mother staring at her uncomprehendingly when she extended her arachnid legs, letting them wiggle, being careful to not knock anything over.

Tsukune's mother had her eyes go wide as saucers, her jaw dropping, before she partially regained her composure. She was still faltering a little as she forced some words out. "So-so she's into c-cosplay…" she murmured in a sing-song voice. "That-that's not a problem…"

"Show her everything," Tsukune directed. He'd hoped they wouldn't need to go this far.

Keito allowed her mandibles and extra eyes to appear, using her arachnid legs to skitter up the walls and onto the ceiling over Tsukune's mother, staring down at her with all eight eyes. This was apparently too much for even her to deny, and her eyes rolled back into her head as she fainted dead away, slumping back onto the sofa. "I told you that would happen," she chittered.

Tsukune shrugged. "That went better than I thought it would."

XXX

Kasumi Aono's first sensation was a cool pressure on her forehead as she regained consciousness. Opening her eyes she saw her son looking down on her as he tenderly held her hand, the relief on his face obvious to her.

"Are you okay mom?"

"Oh Tsukune, you wouldn't believe the nightmare I had…" She saw his lips tighten a little, but she continued. "You told me some crazy story about monsters, and Keito turn-" She froze when she happened to see Keito standing over her son's shoulder.

Next to the light.

On the ceiling.

"It-it wasn't a dream…?" she whimpered.

Tsukune shook his head sadly. "No, it wasn't."

As she watched in horrified fascination, Keito's face rippled and returned to a more human appearance. The relief was tempered by the fact she was still clinging to the ceiling with her arachnid legs.

"Sorry to have frightened you," Keito told her sincerely. "But Tsukune figured this was the only way you'd believe him."

"W-what are you…?"

"I'm a Jorogumo," she explained.

"I thought they were a legend," Tsukune's mother murmured.

"We are. The legend just happens to be true. Most monster legends are true, actually."

Tsukune's mother just looked up in growing comprehension, thinking about everything she'd ever heard about spiders and spiderwomen. A horrified look came over her face as she remembered something. "Y-you aren't a Black Widow, are you…?"

Keito gave an indignant sniff. "That almost sounds racist."

"No mom, she isn't." Tsukune came to his girlfriend's defense. "If she was going to kill me after… being with me, I'd already be dead."

"Oh…" Watching the spiderwoman deftly make her way back down the walls onto the floor, retracting her extra legs and resuming looking like an ordinary human helped her calm down, even though she knew that the woman before her was still a monster. After trying to recompose herself, she looked at her son. "Why did you get accepted at a school for monsters?"

"The Headmaster wanted me to be a bridge between humans and monsters. Show that we could live peacefully," Tsukune growled.

"That doesn't seem like a bad thing…"

"It might have been," Tsukune admitted. "If he'd warned me, or made even a half assed effort to protect me…"

"He didn't tell you?"

"No! I had no idea what was going on till I arrived! If anyone else had known I was human, I'd have been killed!"

"He's right," Keito added. "Humans are normally forbidden to go there. If found, they're eliminated."

"My God…" Kasumi Aono breathed. "Why did you stay?"

Tsukune meet his mother's eyes. "You and dad were so proud of me being accepted somewhere… I didn't want to let you down."

Her son's tone had been even, without accusation, but the phrase had hit her like a knife to the gut. Sure, she'd been relieved for her son to be accepted, but for him to think that he'd have to go through hell… "How-how did you survive…?"

"You're supposed to stay in human form," Tsukune explained. "I just pretended to really stick to that rule."

His mom relaxed a little. "That doesn't seem too bad."

"That part wasn't, but it got difficult to stay out of fights."

"Fights…?"

"It's not uncommon for monsters to fight among themselves," Keito told her. "Tsukune occasionally got caught up in it."

"What did you do?"

Tsukune gave a slight shrug. "I did what I had to do. The first time I had to kill someone was the hardest, but it got a little easier after that."

"Wait, the FIRST time you killed someone?"

"I'm already up to five. But I don't think I'll have to do it again."

"Five people?" Tsukune's mom whispered

"Well... not technically PEOPLE..." he admitted. "The last one was a vampire. People left me alone after that one."

"V-vam...pire...?"

"Dendroid, golem," Tsukune paused. "I have no idea WHAT Harunobu was, a monstrel, and finally a vampire."

"H-Harunobu?"

"I killed him before he could change, crushed his skull with a desk," Tsukune related. "He looked pretty human after he died."

Tsukune's mother gave Keito a hurt glare. "Why didn't you help him?!"

Keito's face wore a sardonic smile. "I didn't know he was human until later. If I had, I would have probably killed him."

Tsukune gave his girlfriend a half smile. "Well, you would have TRIED..." He then reached over and took her hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Why didn't you TELL me?" There were tears welling in Kasumi Aono's eyes.

Tsukune gave her an indulgent look. "Would you have believed me…?"

"…no…"

"There you go."

Wiping at her eyes, Tsukune's mother looked right in her son's eyes. "Well, you don't have to stay there anymore, we'll help you transfer out right now."

"No mom, I can't."

"What are you talking about?" She looked at him as if he'd gone mad.

"I fit in there too well now, I'm where I belong."

"You're not a monster…" his mother insisted.

"Yes, I am. Remember the black eye I had?"

"Yes…?" she replied, surprised by the new tangent her son was taking.

"Got that from an old bully I met," Tsukune replied.

"So what?"

"I came this close to killing him," Tsukune hissed, trying to keep his composure. "I WANTED to hurt him, maybe even kill him. That's how I deal with things now. I can't go to a human school anymore…"

"So you got angry-"

"No, I DID hurt him," Tsukune clarified. "The hard part was NOT killing him."

Kasumi Aono could see that her son was dead serious about this. She thought back to how he'd been when he'd first come back, and now everything made sense. The constant vigilance, the hardness in his eyes, the occasional haunted expression… The school they'd sent her son to had turned him into this.

It was their fault.

And he'd felt he needed to lie to keep from disappointing them.

The tears came slowly at first, then much faster, as her body was wracked by sobs. When Tsukune attempted to embrace her to comfort her, she tried to push him away, feeling like she didn't deserve his compassion. For a while she wept openly, her tears soaking a spot on her son's shirt. When she finally regained her composure she wiped at her eyes and looked at her son, and the spiderwoman he'd fallen for.

"So-so why didn't you kill him…?"

Keito looked a little uncomfortable. "I should have, according to the rules. But we'd spent so much time together, I suppose I became a little fond of him. Now I couldn't even imagine hurting Tsukune."

"Is this why we couldn't come to visit you?" his mother asked.

Tsukune nodded. "Yes, I didn't want anything to happen to you." He looked at his mom and tried to smile reassuringly at her. "I hope you don't mind having a monster in the family. Another one, I mean…"

His mother smiled as bravely as she could, the redness in her eyes not hurting the warmth. "Would you like to stay for dinner, Keito?"

"I'd love to," the spiderwoman replied.

Tsukune's mother stood up slowly, and forcing herself past her fear, gave Keito a fierce hug, the spiderwoman carefully returning the embrace, remembering that she was just human.

"Keep him safe," she whispered into Keito's ear.

'Not sure I need to,' was her first thought. But Keito decided to say what she knew the human woman wanted to hear. "I will," she whispered back.

XXX

The spiderwoman felt herself smiling as she recalled that visit with Tsukune's family. On a later trip, Keito had happened to let it slip that she'd never cooked; she'd never needed to, either by catching prey or taking meals in the cafeteria. Kasumi Aono had taken that as a challenge, and before the spiderwoman had realized, she'd been dragged into the kitchen.

Keito had tried to refuse, but Tsukune's determination apparently came from his mother's side of the family, and she'd gone ahead in spite of some fervent protests, both from her and her own son. The human woman might have been terrified of her monster form, but she'd never let that stop her from trying to help her son's mate. But through the sometimes confusing and exasperating lessons, Keito had developed a grudging respect and liking of Tsukune's mother. She may not have been very remarkable, but she had her own quiet strength, and since she'd had someone like Tsukune, she was obviously capable in her own way.

Glancing at the clock, Keito turned down the stove. Tsukune wouldn't be home for a little while, he'd mentioned being busy after class, so all she had to do was keep it warm. She walked into the living room, turning on a light and relaxing on the sofa. She briefly grimaced as she reached under the cushion and moved the hunting knife Tsukune had hidden there. The human had weapons concealed all over their home, and some of the furnishings had been chosen only for their functionality as an armament. The charming lamp in the corner was wrought iron; the shade concealed the sharp point Tsukune had added, turning it into a makeshift lance. If they ever decided to have company over for dinner, it would take almost an hour to clear some of the less well hidden weapons in the apartment.

Keito's eyes happened to rest on the door to the study where Tsukune took care of his school work. Tsukune would occasionally spend time in that room brooding, usually when he felt that he was slipping in his humanity. Keito always rolled her eyes about that. Of course he was human, why would he doubt that? Even a simple blood test would show he didn't have a trace of monster blood coursing through his veins, so it was foolish to her that he'd be worrying about something so absurd. Even though it happened at least a couple times a semester, it always sent the human into seclusion for a while.

Keito felt her smile become a little more feral as she further considered the human's behavior. True, he would brood occasionally, but when he did come out of that room, the sex that followed was especially passionate and frantic. He'd once murmured something about reminding himself about his humanity, but she'd been too distracted to care at that time. It seemed like it was a lifetime ago, but there had once been a time when she thought that her human form had no advantages.

Tsukune had certainly shown her otherwise.

Sighing wistfully, Keito poured herself a cup of tea and waited for Tsukune to come home. She told herself she should be used to all of his little quirks by now, and just accept them.

After all, he was only human.

XXX

The hallways of Youkai Academy were mostly quiet, with only a few students and staff passing through them. It was the last period before dismissal, but since it was a weekend before a teacher's meeting, many classes had let out early. Even the classes that hadn't been let go, such as Tsukune's, turned a blind eye to students leaving to do some studying in the library, even if it was understood by all that everyone was just going home.

There were a few people still in the class, possibly out of a sense of duty, or because they wanted to ask the teacher a question. It might have even been because it was currently as quiet as the library at the moment, making it an ideal place to study or do homework.

Tsukune worked in silence, the only sound being the faint scratching of a pen as it passed over the paper. He did occasionally glance up to make sure that no one was attempting to sneak up on him, even though Keito was the only person who would ever try that. It was slightly worrying that she almost always was able to do that, even if no one else ever seemed to attempt it anymore.

Others had tried in the past, but they were never able to get the drop on him; he was too careful for that, too vigilant. Saizo had gotten lucky that one time, but all other cases ended poorly for the unlucky individual who had decided that they would try to assume the status of alpha student.

The last time someone had even been considering it that Tsukune had learned about beforehand, he'd struck first. The opponent hadn't been much of a threat, nowhere near the strength of a vampire, or even a monstrel, but he'd been so brutal in his methods, that it appeared to have permanently ended any other challenges. Tsukune had come to accept that he fit in better with monsters than with humans now. What he'd always made an effort to avoid thinking about, even when he was brooding alone in the study, was whether his time at Youkai Academy had turned him into what he was…

Or whether it had simply unleashed what was already there.

Without him meaning to, his mind started reminiscing about that time, and all that he'd done…

XXX

"Did you know, someone wants you dead?"

"Good morning to you too, Keito," Tsukune replied as he looked up from his breakfast in the cafeteria. "So, how's that different from normal?"

"That part, not much," the spiderwoman admitted. "Those who don't respect you are afraid of you."

"As long as they just leave me alone, that's fine," Tsukune murmured.

"That's no fun," Keito pouted. It was a little unnerving to the human how she could be both cute and menacing at the same time. "This guy, he's trying to get students to work together."

Tsukune frowned. That was one of his biggest worries; if everyone else simply decided to swarm him, then even if he'd had modern weaponry, he'd soon be overwhelmed. "Why's he angry at me?"

Keito shrugged. "Maybe he's just afraid," Keito replied, sitting next to the human. "But, he was also interested in a girl, but she disappeared, so he probably blames you for that."

"You mean Guno? Moka? Saori?"

"Nope."

Tsukune shook his head. "Drawing a blank here."

"Doesn't really matter. Anyway, what are you going to do about it…?"

Tsukune pursed his lips. If this guy managed to get others to gang up on him… "How'd you hear about him?"

"I was on the side of a dorm, getting ready to apprehend a rule breaker, when I overheard him," Keito replied matter-of-factly. "He was trying to recruit some upperclassmen, but they didn't seem interested."

"Well, that's a relief."

Keito raised an eyebrow. "You're just going to let it go?"

"I didn't say that," Tsukune murmured. "What can you tell me about the guy?"

Keito pulled out a file folder and handed it to her boyfriend. "I figured you'd want to know."

Taking the offered package, Tsukune opened it on the table. It turned out to be a school file, belonging to a Kanou Nagare, apparently. The guy reminded him a little of Harunobu, having the same sense of nervous desperation in his picture, and Tsukune could see he'd apparently been uncomfortable being photographed, based on the way he was sweating. "Doesn't look like much."

"Feeling confident?" Keito sniffed.

"Never have before," Tsukune admitted. "Why start now?"

"Want me to help?" Keito offered, an unmistakeable glint in her eye.

The human shook his head. "Thanks, but I have to do this alone."

The spiderwoman looked a little disappointed. "I understand."

"Actually, there is something you could get for me that would help," Tsukune added as something in the student's file caught his eye.

"What do you need?" When Tsukune told her she nodded, promising to have it by the end of the day.

"Thanks. There's something I need to get as well," he explained, giving the cafeteria kitchen a thoughtful look.

The two of them ate in a comfortable silence, before Keito finished first and told him she had some business to attend to. She gave him a quick kiss and walked away, leaving the human to finish his meal. Tsukune chewed his food thoughtfully, reading over the school file Keito had given him about Nagare. There was an obvious tactic he could use, and it would probably be extremely unpleasant for him. It was definitely underhanded, but he'd earned his rep by being like that, and since Nagare was trying to have him killed, it seemed rather fitting. The human tried, with not much success, to convince himself that that fact wasn't a pleasant bonus.

"I'm NOT liking this, I'm NOT liking this, I'm NOT liking this…" he murmured almost silently.

XXX

Kanou Nagare slunk through the hallway towards his dorm room. He silently seethed over his continued lack of success in rallying the other monsters of Youkai Academy to rise up against the feared Tsukune Aono. Yes, he was feared for a very good reason, but surely he couldn't kill everyone, right? Not if they worked together.

As his room came into view he found himself chuckling under his breath. Here he was, a madslug, a race hardly known for their bravery, preferring to simply scare people, trying to organize a resistance against the most dreaded monster in all of the school. One that had even taken down a vampire without breaking its human form.

Still, he hadn't had much luck; most of the students who'd even let him talk to them - his normal appearance was unsettling to many, especially girls – had wanted nothing to do with his scheme. The few that had seemed to listen didn't appear to place much hope in it, seeming to believe that Aono had an almost supernatural ability to strike down anyone. Even he felt that a little, taking great care to insure that word of his plan didn't reach the subject in question. But Aono only seemed to respond to attacks, so as long as he kept a low profile, he was probably safe.

He glanced around subtly before opening his door; there was no one around. Considering how unpopular he was, this wasn't surprising, but he let out a sigh of relief regardless, thankful that he'd safely made it home. Opening the door he stepped inside, the door slowly swinging before stopping as he set down his satchel. He paused, noticing that all the lights were on, but he was certain that he'd shut them all off before he left. He thought he sensed movement behind him, a dark shape just appearing in his peripheral vision just as crushing blow struck him on the back of the head.

Lying face down on the floor, his senses scrambled, Kanou managed to look up and through the red haze that filled his vision. His eyes widened when he made out the dispassionate visage of Tsukune Aono standing over him, casually dropping the heavy desk lamp he'd just used.

"A-Aono… is-is something wrong…?" He'd had to force the words out to keep from mewling pathetically.

Tsukune didn't say a word, simply walking over to his closet and opening it, taking out a large sack and setting it on the bed.

"If-if we just talk things over, I-I know we can work this out…" The terrified student started reverting to his monster form, getting ready to release his toxic fumes to protect himself, and maybe ooze his way into the crack between the wall and floor to escape.

Noticing the change, Tsukune stopped moving sacks from the closet to the bed and quickly pulled something smaller from a bag. Kanou felt a new jolt of terror run down his spine when he recognized it as a respirator mask.

"I-I-I haven't done anything…" he whimpered.

Tsukune placed a fourth sack on the bed and drew a knife from behind his back. While it was intimidating, it wouldn't be that dangerous to the madslug in his monster form. But he simply used it to slice open one of the sacks, dropping the weapon on the bed and hefting the bag in his arms, carrying it over to the terrified Kanou.

"I know," Tsukune's voice was muffled by the mask he wore. "I'm just making sure you don't."

The monster had just enough time for his eyes to go wide when he saw the word 'Salt' on the bag, before Tsukune upended the entire sack onto its head.

Tsukune watched the tortured student thrashing wildly as the salt drew the water out of his body. It was just like pouring salt on a snail back home, only larger. The agonized cries filled his ears as he opened the second bag and dumped it on his hapless victim, the salt turning into a paste as it relentlessly pulled out the essential moisture in the young man. Tsukune figured the closest he could relate was using alcohol on a cut.

The human didn't hesitate to dump the contents of the third bag on his would be assassin, even with a number of witnesses watching from the door he'd purposely left open. The thrashing had gotten less violent, and Tsukune was certain that he'd gotten smaller; some pseudopods had shrivelled up, reminding him of noodles that had been left out too long. After a few minutes the figure stopped moving, the only sound it made was a cracking noise as the water level inside it dropped to levels too low to sustain life.

Tsukune used his knife to carefully prod the dried-out husk that had recently been a fellow student. It reminded him of beef jerky, and had the consistency of shoe leather. He probably didn't need to use the last bag of salt he'd brought, but he decided there was no need to save it. Besides, he hadn't mentioned bringing any of them back when he'd politely asked the head of the kitchen staff for them. With a practised ease he dropped the last twenty pound bag on the withered corpse, watching for a few minutes before he was satisfied that his work was done.

Opening a window to help vent the last of any toxic gas from the room, pulling off his mask (he'd have to thank Keito for lifting it from the custodial staff), and gathering the empty bags, Tsukune walked out of the room. He resheathed his knife as he left, the students who had watched him quickly making a hole to let him through. He noticed that while he was getting respectful looks from his fellow students, no one seemed that upset about what he'd done. Based on what Keito had told him about his victim, Tsukune wasn't that surprised.

Kanou Nagare hadn't been all that well liked by his peers, and based on some rumors that had been going around, a number of female students would be toasting his death when word of it spread. Tsukune ignored all the murmured comments made as he walked through the hallways, casually discarding the empty bags in the trash. He had reached the stairs when a voice called out to him.

"Why did you kill him?"

Tsukune paused and looked over his shoulder. "Ask him," he replied, before resuming his exit, leaving the gawkers behind.

XXX

The human shook his head and tried to push the memory away so he could concentrate on what he was doing. At one time it might have bothered him that he had no remorse over killing someone who hadn't technically attacked him, but he knew he was well beyond that now.

Tsukune let his eyes follow the words on the page, carefully considering them and their meaning. His analysis was interrupted when he noticed someone slowly approaching his desk. Not lifting his gaze from the paper before him, he chuckled almost silently at what had become a normal and expected ritual.

Despite his reputation, or perhaps because of it, he was still a source of curiosity to many of the students here. Tsukune might have been regarded as the most violent creature at Youkai Academy, but there'd always been some speculation over just what he was exactly. Only two people actually knew, and he was determined to make sure that number grew no higher.

That didn't mean that the students wouldn't try to find out.

Without fail, a couple of times every semester a student would come up to him and invariably ask a question. Though only a few asked just that one, they usually tried to work their way up to it. The students were either someone who'd declared that they were fearless, or someone who'd been volunteered without their consent. And judging by how this girl seemed to be trembling, she was likely one of the latter.

When she nervously cleared her throat to announce her presence, Tsukune put on his most friendly and non-threatening face. "Yes? How can I help you?"

The poor girl was shaking so much, she was fortunate she wasn't carrying a drink with her. "I-I was wondering… C-could I ask you a few questions…?"

"I think you just asked one," he deadpanned.

"N-not that," she stammered, looking as if she was afraid he'd leap up and tear her throat out. "The things that they say about you, are they true?"

"What things?" Tsukune replied, knowing full well what she meant, but simply keeping up appearances.

"Did you really jump out a ten storey window?"

Tsukune chuckled. The window seemed to get higher every time someone told the story. There wasn't even a building that tall on the entire grounds. "It was only two," he corrected. "I'd rather not have to do that again."

The girl seemed to be awed somewhat by his easygoing demeanor. "And you killed two vampires with your bare hands?"

"Just one," he replied nonchalantly. "I did… assault a witch afterwards. Maybe that's where the second came from." If Yukari had been a vampire, he'd have ended up dead.

A look of terrible wonder came over the student. "And what about your running? That when you run cross country, no one's ever caught you?"

Tsukune opened his mouth, then closed it, considering his answer. "That one is true," he admitted, a brief swelling of pride rising in him.

The girl shook her head, taking a deep breath, making Tsukune suspect she was getting ready to ask the one question she'd really been compelled to ask.

She didn't disappoint him.

"Mr. Aono, what kind of monster are you?" the girl from the back of his homeroom class blurted out.

Tsukune let out a sigh, dropping his gaze back to the Human-Monster Relations exam he'd been grading at his desk. His face wore a bittersweet expression when he met her eyes again.

"The worst kind."

End of He Who Fights Monsters.

Okay, that's the end of my first effort at Rosario + Vampire. I may write a side story or two for this one day, but for the most part I'm finished with this series.

Now, many reviewers have wondered how I'd deal with Moka's family, and the entire Alucard thing. Well, truth be told, I quit reading a little into Season 2. The artwork improved, but the story made me want to throw it against the wall. So as far as I'm concerned, Season 2 never happened, so I don't have to deal with any of it.

Thanks to everyone who left a review, whether positive or not, and for all the TvTropes love.

Special Thanks to Random1377 and Mereo Flere for pre-reading this. All mistakes are mine, not theirs.


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